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I     AM     INTRODUCED    TO    MY     SOUL         PAGE    127. 


<a)\  *  Man  •  anc|  *  <Hi$  •  cBouf 


An  Occult  Romance  of  Washinqton 
Life 


T.    C.    CRAWFORD 

Author    of    ''Senator   Stanley's   Story."    "The    Disappearance   Syndicate."    ''English  Lot 

Through    Yankee    Eyes."    "American"    Vendetta,"    "Llfe    of 

James    G.    Blaine."    etc.,    etc. 


NEW     YORK: 

Charles    B.    Reed,    Publisher. 

164,    166    6.    168    FULTON    ST. 
1894. 


Copyright,    1894,    by 
AUGUSTA    W.     FLETCHER,    M.    D. 

All    Rights    Reserved. 


79  /> 


A  Aan  and  His  Soul 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER. 


I.     Where  I  made  the  acquaintance  of  a  perfectly  happy 

man .........  9 

II.     Captain  Harcourt  and  I  became  friends  ...         20 

III.  The  Ambassador  from  the  Island  of  Nolos     .         .         27 

IV.  Captain   Harcourt    asks   me  to   introduce  him  to 

Washington   society,  and   promises  in  return 

to  introduce  me  to  my  immortal  soul     .         .         34 

V.     The  Island  of  Nolos,  where  Captain  Harcourt  met 

his  soul 40 

VI.     The  reception  at  the  Russian  Legation  ...         56 

VII.     A  remarkable  scene  in  Senator  Norton's  private 

drawing-room 63 

VIII.     A  study  of  the  distant  Island  of  Nolos,  as  viewed 

in  the  dark  surface  of  an  Egyptian  mirror        .         73 

IX.     The  fight  between  Senator  Norton  and  the  Presi- 
dent outlined  .         .         .         .         .         .         .         81 

X.     The  lady  in  the  case       ......         91 

XI.     General  Starr  is  invited  to  take  part  in  the  fight  as 

a  peace-maker  .         .         .         .         .         .102 

XII.     An  after-midnight  reception  at  the  White  House    .       m 


CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER.  PAGE. 

XIII.  I  am  introduced  at  last  to  my  immortal  soul  .         .       118 

XIV.  A  noteworthy  senatorial  episode,  which  ends  in  a 

challenge  to  a  duel         .         .         .  .  135 

XV.     Pictures  of  the  scenes  in  the  Granger  household 

tragedy 15° 

XVI.     A  study  of  some  of  the  conditions  of  human  ad- 
vancement        159 

XVII.     Picturing  ideal  possibilities  of  our  future  national 

life 166 

XVIII.     The  life  of  the  nation  after  ideal  conditions  are 

reached 172 

XIX.     General  Starr  becomes  a  proselyte  to  the  doctrines 

advocated  by  Captain  Harcourt        .         .         .184 

XX.     General  Starr  and  Captain  Harcourt  talk  of   the 

evidences  of  another  life.    Does  death  end  all  ?       195 

XXI.     I  invoke,  alone,  my  soul  and  receive  some  direc- 
tions for  spiritual  development         .        .         .       204 

XXII.     Showing  the  future  government  of  affairs  in  the 

United  States 213 

XXIII.  The  ideal  President  holds  a  conversation  with  the 

real  President  of  the  United  States         .         .       223 

XXIV.  The   President   is   left   alone   with   Captain   Har- 

court and  myself 235 

XXV.     The  President  on  trial  in  the  Forum — the  charges 

presented,  and  his  final  acquittal      .  .       244 


CHAPTER  I. 

WHERE   I    MADE  THE  ACQUAINTANCE  OF  A  PERFECTLY 
HAPPY    MAN. 

After  years  of  absence  from  my  former  home  in 
Washington,  I  found  great  pleasure  in  returning  for 
another  winter  to  the  National  Capital.  Yet,  after 
a  time,  I  found  the  renewing  of  experience  a  dull 
method  of  passing  the  time.  There  was,  at  first, 
but  little  going  on  of  exceptional  interest.  In  society 
there  were  no  great  scandals,  nor  transcendent  beauties, 
discovered.  In  politics,  small  things  and  small  men,  ac- 
cording to  the  newspapers,  filled  the  horizon.  I,  who 
had,  formerly,  for  years,  filled  the  post  of  a  special  corre- 
spondent in  Washington,  was  obliged  to  confess  that  if 
I  were  now  to  begin  life  as  a  newspaper  observer  at 
the  Capital,  I  could  not  find  enough  to  do,  to  make  my- 
self worthy  of  employment. 

But,  I  had  not  been  long  in  Washington,  upon  the 
occasion  of  my  last  visit,  before  I  met  Captain  Arthur 
Harcourt,  and  after  that  I  did  not  have  a  dull  moment. 
He  gave  a  shake  to  the  hour-glass  of  time  for  me,  and 
the  sands,  which  had  been  creeping  along  at  so  slow  a 
pace,  now  moved  with  the  swiftest  possible  motion. 
We  measure  time  by  our  endurance  or  enjoyment  of 
it.  Measured  by  my  new  sensations,  a  day  soon 
counted  as  nothing. 


10  A   MAN   AND    HIS   SOUL. 

Pardon  my  extravagance.  I  will  try  and  make  it 
plain  why  Captain  Harcourt  proved  so  interesting  to  a 
correspondent,  who  had  now  reached  middle  life  and 
who  had  seen  the  most  notable  events  of  modern  history 
in  the  last  quarter  of  the  century,  both  in  the  old  world 
as  well  as  the  new. 

I  made  Captain  Harcourt's  acquaintance  at  the  Ar- 
lington Hotel,  where  I  was  living.  He  was  also  a  guest 
in  the  same  house.  I  first  saw  him  in  the  open  and 
hospitable  white  marble-floored  office  of  this  hotel. 
Under  the  flashing  lights  of  this  high-ceilinged  room, 
in  front  of  its  open  fires,  are  to  be  found,  during  the 
winter  evenings,  some  of  the  most  notable  people  in 
Washington.  Seated  in  a  broad-armed  easy  chair, 
with  a  cigar,  I  often  spent  an  hour  after  dinner  glanc- 
ing at  the  moving  figures  in  this  Washington  world, 
which  becomes  so  active  and  alert  when  evening  ar- 
rives. From  the  central  seat,  which  was  my  favorite 
one,  I  could  command  many  points  of  advantage. 
Through  the  broad  windows  at  the  left,  under  the 
striped-canvas  awning,  there  were  continually  appear- 
ing and  disappearing  carriages,  occupied  by  ladies  re- 
splendent in  the  brilliancy  of  evening  toilettes.  The 
arrival  and  departure  of  these  guests,  coming  or  going 
from  some  one  of  the  many  receptions  of  the  night,  dur- 
ing the  busy  season,  the  slamming  of  carriage  doors,  the 
shuffling  of  the  feet  of  the  colored  servants  about  the 
corridors,  where  they  moved  about  happy  as  children, 
the  sharp  clang  of  the  bell  of  the  clerk  in  the  hotel 
office,  the  strains  of  music  from  an  orchestral  band  in 
attendance   upon  a  private  dinner  in  some  one  of  the 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  II 

great  drawing-rooms  of  the   first  floor,  combined  with 
the  hum  of  voices  of  people  moving  about,  made  up  a 
fascinating  medley  of  action  and  sound.     The  arrival 
of  guests  before  the  hotel  register  was  also  a  constant 
subject  of  comment  from  the  groups  seated  about  the 
office,  as  they  recognized  this  or  that  prominent  man 
among    the    late    comers.      Among   those   who    were 
seated  around  the  open,  blazing  fires  were  occasional 
Justices   of  the  Supreme  Court,  numerous  members  of 
Congress,    a  rare   United    States   Senator  and,   some- 
times, a  democratic  member  of  the  President's  Cabinet. 
But  those  who  had  offices  to  bestow  were  not  allowed 
to  sit  at  their  ease  long,  as  those  who  beg  for  place  and 
official    favors    came    in    hungry    and    genteel-shabby 
groups,  patrolling  every  nook  of  the  hotel  lobby,  seek- 
ing some  high  official  to   torment  with  impossible  de- 
mands. 

Every  night,  after  my  arrival,  I  observed  that  one  of 
the  guests  of  the  hotel  came,  after  his  dinner,  always 
to  the  same  seat,  and  that  he  remained  in  it  during  the 
greater  part  of  the  evening.  He  did  not  appear  to 
have  any  acquaintance  with  any  other  of  the  guests  of 
the  hotel,  and  yet  he  did  not  give  me  the  impression  of 
being  reserved  or  cold.  I  was  first  attracted  to  him  by 
his  air  of  perfect  tranquility,  and  by  the  exquisite 
courtesy  and  simplicity  of  his  manners.  He  was  tall 
and  spare  of  figure.  His  color  was  that  of  high  health  ; 
of  one  accustomed  to  much  outdoor  life.  His  features 
were  irregular  and  far  from  handsome  ;  but,  yet,  his  ex- 
pression of  kindness  and  content  awakened  from  the 
first  my  interest  and  then  my  envy.     I    watched  him 


12  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

carefully,  day  by  day,  to  see  some  shadow  upon  this 
supremely  contented  face  ;  but  its  expression,  while  con- 
stantly changing,  never  varied  its  key.  Evidently  here 
was  a  man  who  was  contented,  and,  yet,  what  were  his 
resources  for  such  happiness  ?  I  watched  him  for 
several  days  before  I  sought  to  speak  to  him.  No  one 
could  live  more  simply  than  he.  He  came  to  the 
dining-room,  only  to  order  the  simplest  of  foods.  Fruit 
in  abundance  was  heaped  up  before  him,  when  he  came 
to  the  table,  almost  to  the  exclusion  of  other  things. 
He  rarely  drank  wine,  and  then  in  the  most  moderate 
quantities. 

The  waiters,  the  black  children  of  Washington,  who 
are  so  keen  to  detect  kind  hearts,  and  who  prize  gentle 
words  above  bribes  of  silver,  were  devoted  to  Captain 
Harcourt. 

Inquiry  at  the  office  concerning  him  disclosed  but 
little.  He  was  a  former  officer  of  the  Navy,  who  had 
resigned  a  number  of  years  ago,  so  many  that,  now, 
since  his  return  to  Washington,  he  found  few  who  knew 
him  or  who  remembered  him  in  the  past.  He  appeared 
to  have  money,  at  least  for  his  modest  wishes.  He 
lived  quietly,  went  out  but  little,  never  complained, 
paid  his  bills  promptly  and  never  objected  to  the 
charges  for  extras.  "  A  model  guest ;  I  would  to  God 
we  had  more  like  him,"  said  the  pale-faced  clerk,  look- 
ing me  firmly  in  the  eye,  as  he  answered  my  questions. 
If  I  had  not  been  an  old  correspondent,  he  probably 
would  have  answered  none  of  my  questions ;  for,  in  this 
old-fashioned  hotel,  the  aristocratic  proprietor  was 
fond  of  furnishing  privacy  to  his  guests  with  the    other 


A    MAX    AND    HIS    SOUL.  1 3 

comforts  of  his  hospitable  house.  I  remembered,  as 
the  clerk  gazed  so  firmly  at  me,  that  I  had  that  morn- 
ing disputed  a  mysterious  extra  in  my  weekly  bill ;  and 
had  I  not,  through  years  of  acquaintance,  earned  the 
right  to  trifle  occasionally  with  the  management  ?  Yet, 
this  pointed  reference  to  the  magnificent  virtue  of  Cap- 
tain Harcourt  in  this  regard,  warned  me  that  even  my 
old  position  in  the  house  did  not  warrant  me  in  tak- 
ing too  serious  a  liberty  with  the  business  management, 
or  to  suppose,  for  one  instant,  that  it  could  be  possible 
for  it  to  err. 

I  do  not  think  I  should  have  taken  the  trouble  to  be- 
come acquainted  with  Captain  Harcourt  if  it  had  not 
been  for  his  expression  of  unalloyed  content.  If  it  had 
been  stupid  content,  such  as  is  found  sometimes  upon 
the  face  of  the  human  animal — who  ruminates  as  he  di- 
gests some  skillfully-prepared  dinner,  while  he  contem- 
plates with  rapture  his  well-groomed  and  well-housed 
condition — I  should  not  have  given  him  a  second 
thought.  No  ;  his  content  appeared  to  me  to  be  an  intel- 
lectual one.  His  face  bore  the  look  of  a  man  thoroughly 
at  peace  with  himself.  There  are  not  so  many  faces  of 
this  kind  in  the  world  that  I,  a  professional  observer 
of  men,  could  afford  to  pass  Captain  Harcourt  by. 

At  that  time,  I  was  dull  and  thoroughly  discontented 
with  myself.  I  had  good  health,  and  so  I  was  saved 
from  being  a  cynic  ;  but  there  was,  gradually,  beginning 
to  steal  over  me  the  sensation  of  weariness  and  dis- 
couragement, which  are  the  natural  heritages  of  life 
when  the  illusions  of  youth  are  gone  and  the  grim  re- 
alities of  old  age   begin  to  appear  through  the  misty 


14  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

clouds  of  the  future.  The  fact  that  Captain  Harcourt, 
who  was  fifty  years  of  age,  and  at  least  ten  years  older 
than  I,  had  so  conclusively  settled  one  of  the  greatest 
problems  of  life,  by  finding,  apparently,  a  pure  and  per- 
fect contentment,  based  upon  something  higher  than 
mere  physical  satisfaction,  stimulated  my  curiosity  to 
the  highest  degree. 

What  was  this  source  of  interior  content  ?  The 
Captain  was  the  most  inactive  of  men.  His  eyes,  a 
deep  steely  blue,  glowed  with  soft  fire,  but,  yet,  had 
a  curiously  wide-awake  look.  I  found,  so  often,  the 
Captain's  face,  as  we  sat  in  the  hotel  lobby  in  the 
evening,  changing  with  varying  expressions  of  interest 
and  enjoyment,  that  I  often  caught  myself  looking 
here  and  there  to  see  what  could  so  interest  this 
quiet,  unassuming  gentleman,  who  smoked  his  mild 
Oriental  cigarettes  with  such  a  careless  grace,  as 
if  the  beauty  of  the  forms  of  the  spiral  smoke, 
ascending  above  his  head,  interested  and  touched 
his  eye  more  keenly  than  the  taste  of  the  tobacco 
did  his  palate. 

One  evening,  I  could  no  longer  contain  my  curiosity. 
I  spoke  to  Captain  Harcourt,  and  you  may  trust  an  old 
correspondent  for  the  fact  that  my  advance  upon  his 
privacy  was  made-  upon  the  most  artistic  and  approved 
lines.  Yet,  I  might  have  spared  myself  my  artful 
manoeuvres. 

He  interposed  not  the  slightest  obstacle  in  the  way 
of  reserve  to  my  advances.  Like  a  true  man  of  the 
world  he  adjusted  himself  to  my  wishes  and,  after  a 
moment  of  careless  talk  about  nothing,  he  surprised  me 


A    MAX    AND    HIS    SOUL.  I  5 

by  saying :  "  I  have  been  expecting  you  to  speak  to 
me  all  the  evening." 

"  Did  I  watch  you  so  closely  as  all  that  ?  " 

"  Oh,  no  ;  I  was  conscious  that  you  were,  to  a  certain 
extent,  interested  in  my  individuality.  I  have  piqued 
your  intellectual  curiosity.  You  are  the  first  person  in 
Washington  who  has  taken  the  trouble  to  observe  me 
at  all." 

"  I  trust,  in  no  disagreeable  sense  ?  " 

"  Oh,  not  at  all.  It  is  a  compliment  to  me  as  the 
case  stands." 

The  conversation  that  followed  was,  for  a  time,  upon 
casual  topics.  The  quiet,  easy,  tranquil  air  of  Captain 
Harcourt  so  impressed  me  that,  as  a  prelude  to  the 
natural  inquiries  of  the  opening  of  an  acquaintance  be- 
tween strangers,  I  handed  him  my  card.  In  return  he 
grave  me  his  : 


Mr.  Arthur  Harcourt. 


Island  of  Nolos. 


As  I  looked  at  his  card,  I  said  :  "  Forgive  me  ;  but 
where  is  the  Island  of  Nolos?" 

"  Few  people  know  where  it  is,  or  have  even  heard  of 
it,"  said  Captain  Harcourt,  as  he  was  called  in  the  of- 
ficial atmosphere  of  Washington,  where  a  title  once 
given   is  never  dropped.     "  It  is   a   very   small    place. 


1 6  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

It  is  in  South  African  waters.  It  is  about  eighty- 
miles  from  the  sea-coast  of  Mashonaland.  The  island 
contains  not  over  one  thousand  acres.  I  own  half  of  it. 
The  other  half  is  owned  by  an  English  friend  of  mine. 
The  island  makes  for  us  two  very  snug  coffee  planta- 
tions. We  live  there  alone  the  greater  part  of  the 
year." 

"  But  how  do  you  pass  the  time  ?  Are  you  wholly 
alone  ;  that  is,  without  family?  " 

"We  are  both  bachelors.  We  have  negro  servants 
to  attend  to  the  plantations.  The  climate  is  perfect 
and  is  rarely  hot  or  cold.  We  have  all  the  publica- 
tions of  interest  from  the  capitals  of  the  world  sent  to 
us,  and,  when  we  get  tired,  we  run  out  into  the  world 
for  a  little  change.  But  we  do  not  go  very  often.  My 
present  outward  visit  is  the  first  one  of  long  duration 
since  going  to  the  island.  Now,  I  shall  spend  at  least 
the  winter  here,  and,  before  going  back,  shall  remain 
one  season  at  London  and  Paris." 

"  But  how  did  you,  an  American  naval  officer,  come 
to  establish  a  house  upon  an  island  in  such  far-away 
waters  ?  You  do  not  have  the  air  of  a  hermit  or  of  a 
recluse  who  would  seek  to  shun  the  world." 

"  The  explanation  is  simple  enough.  Ten  years  ago 
I  was  retired  from  the  Navy  on  account  of  weak  lungs 
and  consequent  ill  health.  Six  months  after  my  retire- 
ment, my  physician,  who  examined  me,  told  me  that,  at 
best,  I  did  not  have  more  than  half  a  year  to  live.  The 
period  might  be  extended  to  a  year  if  I  could  find 
some  gentle,  equable  climate,  free  from  cold  and  damp- 
ness, where  I  could   live  wholly  out   of  doors.     It  was 


A    MAX   AND   HIS   SOUL.  1 7 

then  that  I  thought  with  pleasure  of  the  air  of  the  high 
table-lands  of  South  Africa,  where  I  had  once,  upon  a 
furlough,  gone  on  a  hunting  expedition.  I  sold  what 
little  property  I  had ;  and,  as  I  had  no  near  family  ties 
of  any  kind,  went  away  to  die  alone,  in  the  most  peace- 
ful and  least  painful  way  possible.  On  my  way  out  to 
South  Africa,  from  London,  I  became  acquainted  with 
Doctor  Maurice  Longman.  He  was  the  owner  of  the 
Island  of  Nolos,  where  he  spent  the  greater  part  of  his 
time  in  study.  He  said  to  me  that  he  could  not 
promise  me  a  positive  return  to  health  ;  but  upon  this 
peaceful  island,  with  his  care,  he  felt  sure  that  I  would 
find  my  life  greatly  prolonged.  Like  the  prisoner  upon 
his  way  to  execution,  I  hailed  his  offer  in  the  light  of  a 
reprieve.  Need  I  say  that  this  chance  encounter 
proved  to  be  one  of  the  most  fortunate  of  my  life  ? 
Through  Doctor  Longman  and  his  teachings  I  regained, 
wholly,  my  health  ;  and  found  a  contentment  so  perfect 
that  no  one  could  believe  without  understanding,  fully, 
its  basis.  In  other  words,  I  have  to-day  perfect  health 
and  perfect  happiness." 

"  If  what  you  say  is  true,  you  are  the  richest  man  in 
the  world.  The  perfectly  happy  man  does  not  exist, 
not  even  in  legend  nor  story." 

"  Yet,  you  must  believe  me  when  I  tell  you  I  am  such 
a  man." 

"  But,  how  can  it  be  proved.  It  would  not  be  diffi- 
cult to  allege  and  to  sustain  that  any  man  who  is  con- 
tented with  life  as  it  is  now  lived,  is  either  a  fool  or  an 
amiable  lunatic.  Now,  you  do  not  have  the  air  of  being 
cither  ;  yet,  when  you  assert  that  you  are  perfectly  happy, 


18  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

my  only  refuge  is  to  disbelieve  what  you  say,  in  as 
polite  a  fashion  as  it  is  possible  to  express  incredulity." 

"  I  not  only  assert  that  I  am  perfectly  happy,  but  I 
desire  to  strengthen  and  broaden  the  declaration  :  I 
hold  in  my  hands  perfect  happiness.  No  human  power 
could  augment  or  decrease  this  happiness.  Neither  is 
it  probable,  although  possible,  that  this  condition  of 
mine  will  change." 

"  You  have,  then,  everything  you  desire  or  may  wish 
to  have  ?" 

"  Everything !  " 

"  Oh,  wonderful  man,  will  you  give  me,  some  day, 
when  you  know  me  better,  your  recipe  for  perfect 
happiness?  " 

"Yes;  I  will." 

"  Can  you  give  it  to  me  here,  or  must  I  go  to  the 
Island  of  Nolos  to  undergo  a  novitiate  ?  In  the  wonder- 
ful stories  I  have  read  of  the  unattainable,  the  candi- 
dates are  made  to  undergo  preliminary  trials  and 
purifications." 

The  Captain  smiled  and  lazily  followed,with  supremely 
contented  eyes,  a  shadowy,  blue  cloud,  as  he  said  :  "  A 
visit  to  the  Island  of  Nolos  will  not  be  absolutely  neces- 
sary, although  you  may  find  it  agreeable  and  desirable 
to  go  there  some  day.  Before  I  leave  Washington,  I 
will  try  and  teach  you  the  certain  road  to  happiness. 
But  there  is  no  hurry ;  you  must  first  be  convinced  that 
I  am  happy.  If  I  cannot  make  you  see  that,  there  will 
be  a  difficulty  about  your  arriving  at  the  second  stage." 

I  must  confess  that  I  was,  in  a  measure,  discouraged 
at  this  reply.     The  Captain's  attitude  was  one  I  could 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  1 9 

not  dispute.  If  he  was  the  sole  and  undisturbed  owner 
of  unalloyed  happiness,  I  had  no  right  to  any  special 
favor  from  him  ;  neither  was  I  then  inclined  to  attach 
too  much  importance  to  the  conversation.  It  was 
simply  interesting.  There  was  a  charm  about  Captain 
Harcourt,  however,  which  made  him  a  most  agreeable 
companion. 

I  might  have  talked  more  with  him,  upon  the  evening 
of  my  first  acquaintance  with  him,  had  it  not  been  for 
an  interruption.  Every  special  correspondent  at  Wash- 
ington has  an  army  of  cranky  followers,  who  regard  his 
newspaper  as  the  vehicle  of  woe  and  retribution  for 
the  wicked  officials  of  the  National  Capitol.  These 
reformers  lay  in  wait  for  the  writers  of  the  press,  and 
breathe  forth  tales  of  dishonesty  and  corruption  that 
chill  with  horror  the  blood  of  youth  ;  but  I  am  a  veteran 
of  some  years  of  this  kind  of  recital,  and  so  I  was  not 
at  all  pleased  when  Professor  Optics,  a  reformer,  who 
believed  everybody  but  himself  was  a  villain  "of  dark 
degree,  now  bore  down  upon  me  for  a  brief  chat  of 
fifteen  hours  upon  the  hideous  dishonesty  of  modern 
official  life. 

I  compromised  with  the  professor  for  forty-seven 
cents.  He  was  always  borrowing  such  absurd  sums; 
and,  with  his  promise  to  return  the  same  at  twenty- 
seven  minutes  after  three,  in  the  afternoon,  on  the  14th 
of  the  following  month,  I  finally  escaped  him,  and  went 
out  to  the  reception  given  that  evening  by  the  wife  of  a 
popular  senator,  and  so  saw  no  more  of  Captain  Arthur 
Harcourt  until  nearly  the  same  hour,  just  after  the  late 
dinner  of  next  day. 


20 


CHAPTER  II. 

CAPTAIN   HARCOURT   AND    I    BECAME   FRIENDS. 

The  next  evening,  when  I  took  my  seat  by  the  side 
of  Captain  Harcourt,  it  seemed  as  if  we  were  already 
friends.  I  do  not  make  friends  readily.  My  profession 
had  taught  me  the  art  of  easily  making  acquaintances  ; 
but  friends  were  rarely  found,  and,  to  tell  the  truth, 
but  casually  sought.  I  had  always  held  that  one  or, 
perhaps,  two  friends  exhausted  one's  strength  in  that 
direction  ;  for  I  construed  friendship  as  something  quite 
as  obligatory  and  sacred  as  the  marriage  contract  itself. 

Yet,  when  I  once  more  engaged  in  conversation 
with  Captain  Harcourt,  I  had  the  interior  conviction 
that  this  man  and  I  were  to  become  intimate.  He  had, 
first,  for  me,  the  interest  of  an  engaging  individuality ; 
then,  that  sixth  sense  of  a  newspaper  correspondent, 
which  we  read  so  much  about  in  the  entrancing  hand- 
books of  journalism,  made  easy  in  ten  lessons,  told  me 
so.  I  felt  that  the  Captain  had  an  interesting  and  odd 
story  to  tell.  And  who  loves  an  odd  story  more  than 
a  professional  writer,  and  who  enjoys  such  a  story  more 
than  a  veteran  correspondent,  who  is  more  pleased 
with  the  reserve  of  its  owner  than  if  he  had,  at  the  out- 
set, frankly  told  him  his  history  and  of  how  he  had  ar- 
rived where  no  man  had  ever  before  arrived, — at  the 
plane  of  perfect  happiness? 


A    MAX    AND    HIS    SOUL.  21 

How  many  times  did  I  seek  to  test  the  correctness 
of  the  Captain's  assertion !  As  we  talked,  running 
around  the  world  for  topics,  I  found,  always,  the  note  of 
the  clear  observer,  and  the  tone  of  an  unprejudiced 
judgment.  Such  clearness,  such  correctness,  such 
justice  and  breadth  of  view,  would  have  made  him 
prominent  at  once  in  any  intellectual  gathering.  His 
observations,  too,  were  always  clothed  in  simple  lan- 
guage. 

During  the  preliminaries  of  our  acquaintance,  which 
bid  fair  to  ripen  into  friendship,  there  was  but  little,  if 
any,  reference  to  the  extraordinary  assertion  made  by 
the  Captain  upon  the  evening  we  first  met.  Yet,  I 
could  but  note  the  atmosphere  of  peaceful  content 
about  the  man.  Children  and  the  negro  servants  all 
turned  towards  him  instinctively,  and  I  soon  found  that 
I  was  never  more  contented  and  at  ease,  than  when  I 
was  seated  by  his  side,  in  the  hotel  lobby,  with  the 
ever-changing  groups  round  about  us. 

There  was  an  engaging  air  of  innocent  mystery  about 
the  Captain  that  constantly  filled  my  mind  with  interest. 
I  longed  for  some  severe  trial,  some  emotional  shock, 
which  should  put  to  the  test  his  absurd  claim  of  perfect 
happiness.  The  word  content  was  not  enough  for  him. 
He  had  used  the  word  happiness  ;  and  here  he  was, 
alone,  with  almost  no  tie  between  him  and  the  circling 
humanities  around  him,  a  citizen  of  Xolos,  living,  with- 
out any  apparent  object  in  life,  the  life  of  a  man  who 
seemed  to  do  nothing,  yet,  whose  face  was  not  that  of  a 
sluggard,  and  whose  eyes  showed  noble  purpose,  even, 
in  the  soft  light  of  their  perfect  content.    It  was  rather 


22  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

trying — this  perfect  satisfaction  with  life.  It  was  a  new 
experience  to  me  to  meet  a  happy  man.  I  had  always 
heard  that  he  did  not  exist.  It  had  been  my  fortune, 
during  twenty  years  of  active  work  as  a  special  cor- 
respondent, to  meet  the  great  and  successful  in  every 
city  of  note  in  the  world.  Yet,  whether  presidents  of 
republics,  royalties,  diplomats,  statesmen,  artists  or 
financiers,  over  all  hovered  some  black  shadow  of  care. 
I  had  never  before  seen  a  man,  however  rich  in  money, 
fame  or  honor,  who  had  reached  the  plane  of  ordinary 
content.  There  was  always  some  hopeless  Beyond 
that  beckoned  him  on,  and  poisoned  the  pleasure  of 
the  success  obtained. 

I  did  not,  at  first,  believe  too  much  in  Captain  Har- 
court's  happiness.  I  longed  to  see  it  put  to  some 
proof.  The  placid  and  tranquil  life  of  a  man  of  leisure, 
in  a  fashionable  hotel  at  the  heighth  of  the  Washington 
season,  was  no  place  for  tests ;  but  I  was  soon  to  see 
him  tried,  and  to  learn,  at  first,  slowly,  and  at 
last,  suddenly,  some  of  the  mighty  reasons  for 
this  change  in  the  type  of  the  sorrowful  human 
race,  which  carries,  with  curses  or  sullen  patience,  ac- 
cording to  the  temperament,  the  heavy  burden  of 
ordinary  life. 

One  night,  at  the  end  of  about  a  week  of  our  ac- 
quaintance, I  saw  the  character  of  the  Captain  tested  in 
a  slight  trial,  which  gave  me  a  brief  insight  into  his  phil- 
osophy. I  am  of  a  nature  that  cannot  bear  the  sight  of 
pain  or  suffering  in  others  without  a  sharp  pang.  Sel- 
fish injustice  stirs  the  very  blood  of  my  heart,  as  the 
bugle  note  inflames  the  war  horse  with  the  fire  of  battle. 


A    MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  23 

If  I  could  hold  all  the  injustice  in  this  world  once  in  my 
hand,  and  crush  it,  I  believe  I  could  die  happy. 

Upon  this  particular  night,  when  I  was  to  learn 
whether  this  perfect  happiness  had  for  its  basis  a  per- 
fect selfishness,  which  I  suspected,  there  came  into  the 
group  about  the  open  fire  a  statesman,  long  famed,  in 
the  House,  for  his  cynical  ability,  his  wit,  his  readiness 
in  debate  and  his  colossal  vanity,  which  made  him 
more  cruel  and  ungrateful  than  a  peacock. 

I  well  remember  the  picture  the  statesman  made  ;  for, 
inconsequential  as  he  was  at  times,  he  yet  had  been  a 
potent  influence  in  the  shaping  of  the  legislation  of  the 
war,  and  in  the  reconstruction  laws  which  followed. 
His  spare,  slight  figure  was  clothed  in  evening  dress, 
over  which  he  wore  a  long  fur-lined  overcoat,  which 
descended  nearly  to  his  heels.  His  dark,  olive-tinted, 
hard-lined  face  was  shadowed  by  a  long  mustache  and 
short  beard.  A  dark  evening  hat  was  cocked  rakishly 
over  one  ear.  A  dark  perfecto  cigar  was  held  tightly 
in  one  corner  of  his  grinning  mouth.  He  was  just  in 
from  a  jolly  dinner.  He  was  flushed  with  good  cheer 
and  excitement.  About  him  were  grouped  a  gathering 
of  local  followers,  who  greeted  their  member's  cynical 
witticisms  with  loud  laughter  that  echoed  through  the 
corridors,  and  started  every  ebony  face  among  the 
servants  grinning  with  contagious  sympathy.  Stimulated 
by  the  laughter  of  his  satellites,  and  warmed  by  the 
atmosphere,  the  diminutive  statesman  was  at  his  best. 
The  voice  that  had  resounded  through  the  hall  of  the 
House  of  Representatives  in  witty  and  rasping  speech, 
cruelly  tearing  at  the  foibles  of  the  opposition,  was  now 


24  A   MAN   AND    HIS   SOUL. 

low-toned  and  honey-tongued.  One  story  followed 
another  with  the  rapidity  of  delivery  of  a  consum- 
mate artist,  when,  suddenly,  there  was  a  break  in  the 
sound  of  revelry. 

I  turned  to  see  the  cause  of  this  sudden  change.  It 
was  occasioned  by  the  presence  of  an  humble-mannered 
old  man,  with  white,  silky  hair,  falling  in  long  masses 
from  his  battered  and  worn  hat.  His  garments  were 
shabby,  and  ill  fitted  to  protect  his  trembling  limbs 
from  the  bleak  cold  of  the  winter  night,  from  which  the 
old  man  had  just  entered.  He  had  passed  through  the 
groups  of  the  stalwart  colored  porters,  who  filled  the 
hall,  without  opposition.  The  fact  that  he  was  a  gentle- 
man, and  in  keen  distress,  made  him  an  object  of 
sympathy  for  these  black  servants,  the  only  really  kind- 
hearted  servants  in  the  world  ;  and  so  this  old  man,  the 
representative  of  poverty  and  suffering,  had  been  able 
to  enter  through  the  brilliant  halls,  and  reach  the  jovial 
group  in  front  of  the  sparkling  fire,  which  flashed  its 
long,  flaming  smiles  of  welcome  upon  the  just  and  un- 
just as  they  came  before  it. 

It  was  an  ill-selected  moment  for  the  unfortunate 
man  to  make  his  appeal  for  aid  to  the  witty  statesman, 
who  was  the  centre  of  the  admiring  group  already  de- 
scribed. He  actually  broke  in  upon  one  of  his  most 
admirable  stories  without  waiting  for  its  artistic  climax. 

With  a  voice  nearly  broken  with  emotion,  the  trem- 
bling man  said  :     "  Oh,  honored  sir,  a  word  with  you  !" 

The  statesman  turned  impatiently.  "  Let  it  be  a 
short  one.  Who  let  you  in  here,  anyway,  to  annoy 
gentlemen  ?  " 


A    MAN    AND    HIS   SOUL.  25 

"You  know  me,  sir." 

'•  I  should  think  I  did.  You  worried  my  life  half 
out  of  me  last  year,  until  I  got  your  daughter  a  place 
in  the  Department  for  the  Gathering  of  Useless  In- 
formation. You  wrote  me  yesterday  that  she  had 
been  discharged,  and  that  you  would  starve  unless 
something  was  done.  Now,  I  tell  you,  I  won't  do  any- 
thing more  for  you.     Get  out  !" 

"  But  my  daughter " 

"  Let  her  learn  how  to  keep  a  place  next  time." 

14  But,  sir,  she  resented  the  insults  of  her  Chief  of 
Bureau  and " 

44  Oh,  yes  ;  I  know  that  old  story.  There  is  no  variety 
in  it.  How  can  a  woman  expect  to  keep  a  place  in 
Washington,  and  have  all  the  deference  shown  her  that 
one  would  pay  a  woman  in  society?" 

44  It  is  not  that,  sir ;  she  should  have  the  respect 
paid  an  honest  woman." 

44  Well,  I  don't  propose  to  discuss  it.  I  won't  do  any- 
thing more.  I  don't  care  whether  your  daughter  is  re- 
spectable or  not.  She  had  a  place.  If  she  was  not 
smart  enough  to  keep  it,  that  is  her  lookout." 

44  But  do  not  turn  me  away.     Remember  the  past." 

At  this  daring  allusion  to  some  past  service,  the 
statesman  became  livid  with  passion  and  shook  his 
fist  in  the  face  of  the  old  man,  and  called  to  the  serv- 
ants to  remove  the  old  beggar. 

But  not  a  black  boy  moved.  I  was  now  up,  erect, 
aflame  with  indignation.  Captain  Harcourt  gently 
pressed  me  by  the  arm,  and  we  followed  the  old  man 
out   without    attracting    notice.      I    was   choked   with 


26  A   MAN   AND    HIS   SOUL. 

my  emotion  ;  the  Captain  was  as  calm  and  serene  as 
ever.  But  his  face  wore  a  look  of  almost  divine  pity 
and  gentleness  that  calmed  my  rage.  I  forgave  him, 
at  last,  his  serenity,  and  no  longer  assumed  that  it  was 
based  upon  selfishness. 

We  caught  up  with  the  old  man  just  outside  the 
hotel  and  soon  learned  his  sorrowful  story.  Once  he 
had  been  a  rich  and  prosperous  merchant,  and  had  fur- 
nished the  money  that  started  the  statesman  at  the  be- 
ginning of  his  political  career.  No  wonder  the  latter 
hated  his  former  benefactor!  This  sad,  old  man  found 
in  us  two  friends ;  and,  the  next  morning,  I  had  the 
pleasure  of  learning  that,  sometimes,  a  special  corre- 
spondent at  Washington  has  his  day  of  influence.  When 
I  told  the  story  of  the  indignity,  to  the  member  of  the 
Cabinet  who  presided  over  the  department  in  question, 
he  made,  apparently,  a  mental  calculation  as  to  the 
effect  of  such  a  story,  printed  in  a  prominent  New 
York  newspaper  ;  and  then  decided,  in  the  most  amiable 
fashion,  to  restore  the  young  lady  to  her  post  of  duty, 
with  a  well-worded  apology  for  the  injustice  done. 
The  offending  Chief  of  Bureau  was  not  discharged.  I 
knew  my  Washington  too  well  to  expect  that.  He  was 
simply  transferred  to  another  post  of  duty.  But  this 
incident  greatly  endeared  Captain  Harcourt  to  me,  so 
heartily  did  he  support  me  in  this  attempt  to  right  one 
of  the  lesser  acts  of  injustice  of  this  greatly  overgov- 
erned  National  Capital. 


2/ 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE   AMBASSADOR   FROM   THE   ISLAND   OF   NOLOS. 

I  now  observed  that  Captain  Harcourt  was  ever 
open  to  pity,  and  was  always  ready  to  right  injustice. 
But  there  was  always  this  difference  :  with  him  there  was 
no  excessive  emotion  or  agitation.  He  wished  to  restore 
the  rights  of  the  wronged  ;  but  he  never  expressed  any 
indignation,  or  sought,  by  word  or  threat,  to  remotely 
suggest  a  punishment  for  the  offenders.  Yet,  I  would 
not  have  you  think  that  we,  at  this  time,  discussed  any 
such  grave  questions  as  the  justice  and  injustice  of 
modern  life.  No  ;  the  impression  I  formed  was  from 
the  slight  experiences  I  had  with  him  in  the  considera- 
tion of  certain  individual  cases.  For,  at  Washington,  the 
special  correspondent,  if  he  does  his  duty,  is  the  mod- 
ern knight  errant.  To  him  come  nearly  all  the  people 
who  suffer  from  official  injustice.  To  be  sure,  they 
often  come  in  company  with  the  malicious  and  the 
mischief-loving ;  but  the  sincere  writer  soon  learns  to 
discriminate,  and,  upon  certain  very  rare  occasions, 
mounted  upon  the  back  of  his  newspaper,  with  his 
goose  quill  couched  as  a  lance,  he  has  been  fortunate 
enough  to  win  a  victory  over  some  official  who  has 
done  a  wrong,  before  the  latter  has  been  able  to  muster 
the  influence  required  to  head  him  off,  by  orders  direct 
from  the  publication  headquarters. 


28  A   MAN   AND    HIS   SOUL. 

Yet,  it  was  a  long  time  before  the  Captain  could  be 
prevailed  upon  to  talk  about  himself.  After  the  first 
few  evenings,  I  met  him  constantly.  I  could  not  even 
explain  to  myself  my  very  great  interest  in  him.  Very 
soon  I  acquired  the  habit  of  dropping  into  his  rooms  in 
the  morning,  and,  almost  before  I  knew  it,  I  was  spend- 
ing the  greater  part  of  my  waking  moments  with  him. 
He  was  so  very  gentle,  so  very  much  at  his  ease,  and  so 
thoroughly  at  home  upon  all  subjects.  My  interest, 
however,  was  something  more  than  a  mere  intellectual 
one.  I  soon  began  to  feel  for  him  a  real  affection  ;  and 
I  assure  you  that  it  has  not  been  my  habit,  during  the 
later  years  of  my  life,  to  find  myself  very  sensitive  in 
this  direction. 

One  night,  when  I  was  in  his  room,  a  card  came  up 
for  me  from  the  office  below.  It  was  the  card  of  a 
valiant  old  friend  of  mine,  who  had,  for  twenty  years, 
sought  vainly  to  obtain  justice  from  the  Government 
of  the  United  States.  He  was  one  of  those  unfortu- 
nates who  had  a  claim  against  the  Government,  and  who 
possessed  neither  money  nor  friends  for  its  prosecution. 

I  was  going  down  to  see  him,  when  the  Captain  asked 
me  to  have  him  come  up  to  his  room,  where  we  were. 
I  shall  never  forget  the  look  on  his  face,  as  my  friend, 
the  claimant,  Hugh  McGregor,  stood  with  his  back  to 
the  fire-place  and  told,  in  a  succinct  and  manly  way, 
the  history  of  the  progress  he  had  made  with  Congress 
that  winter.  It  was  almost  pitiable  to  look  at  his  splen- 
did, sturdy  courage,  and  to  feel  that  so  much  physical 
vitality,  so  much  indomitable  energy,  so  much  loyal 
courage,  such  an   unyielding  will,  and  such  unchange- 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  29 

able  cheerfulness  should  have  been  wasted  upon  the 
hopeless  task  of  compelling  the  Government  of  the 
United  States  to  do  its  duty  toward  a  private  debtor. 
His  twenty  years  of  defeat  had  not  yet  taken  the  light 
from  his  splendid  blue-gray  eyes  ;  notwithstanding  his 
sixty  years  of  age,  the  ruddy  color  of  health  was  to  be 
seen  in  his  cheeks,  and,  even  now,  the  silver  had  hardly 
begun  to  appear  in  his  dark-brown  hair.  His  modest 
dress  was  a  model  of  neatness.  I  do  not  propose,  here,  to 
recapitulate  his  story,  because  the  world  knows  the 
pitiable  fate  of  a  claimant  in  Washington.  But,  as  he 
talked,  I  thought  that  I  saw  Captain  Harcourt  looking, 
all  the  time,  behind  him,  during  his  discourse.  I  knew 
that  he  was  kind-hearted.  I  was  confident  that  he  would 
believe  in  the  man,  because  he  was  my  friend  ;  but,  at  no 
time,  during  his  talk,  did  his  eyes  for  more  than  one 
moment  rest  upon  his  face,  even  when  McGregor 
bowed  himself  out. 

This  was  a  point  which  I  put  down  in  my  private 
note-book  ;  for  it  was  understood  between  us  that,  at 
the  proper  time,  my  friend  would  give  me  full  explana- 
tion of  what  I  had  thought  mysterious  in  his  assertions, 
or  in  his  conduct. 

First,  I  tested  his  sympathy,  by  telling  him  briefly  the 
story  of  McGregor,  who  had  been  wronged  out  of  a 
great  property  by  a  rich  corporation,  and  whose  alleged 
rights  came  to  them  through  a  wrong  assumption  of 
authority  upon  the  part  of  the  United  States  Govern- 
ment. This  had  brought  the  claimant  to  Washington 
for  relief.  For  twenty  years  he  had  had  the  favorable 
reports  of  the  legal  committees  of  both  branches  of  Con- 


30  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

gress.  Whenever  there  was  a  fair  examination  of  his 
claims,  he  always  obtained  a  favorable  decision.  Yet, 
some  perverse  fate  had  always  intervened,  and  he  had 
just  missed  the  final  victory  by  some  absurd  or  cruel 
accident. 

In  recounting  the  story  of  this  case  to  my  friend,  I 
said  to  him  :  "  The  celebrated  Sam  Ward  once  said  that 
one  of  the  great  advantages  about  a  despotism  was  the 
fact  that  you  either  got  justice,  or  you  didn't,  at  once. 
Here,  in  our  lovely  republic,  where  all  men  are  free  and 
equal  in  theory,  the  road  to  justice  for  a  private  indi- 
vidual, in  his  dealing  with  the  Government  of  the 
United  States,  is  a  very  sharp  and  stony  one.  If  any 
individual  were  to  follow  the  same  rule  of  conduct  in 
the  management  of  his  private  affairs,  as  is  pursued  by 
the  Government  of  the  United  States,  he  would  be 
barred  out  of  decent  society.  An  honest  man  is  sup- 
posed to  be  always  anxious  to  pay  his  debts,  and  to 
place  no  obstacles  in  the  way  of  the  people  who  seek 
to  claim  money  from  him  upon  obligations  incurred. 
Yet,  the  Government  of  the  United  States  treats  every 
person  who  makes  a  claim  against  it  for  money,  no 
matter  what  the  service  rendered,  as  if  he  were  a  thief. 
Each  claimant  is  supposed  to  be  dishonest.  It  is  the 
unwritten  law  of  every  department  that  no  information 
of  any  kind  shall  be  given  out  which  may  form  the 
basis  of  a  claim  against  the  Government.  Suppose  the 
Chief  of  Bureau  knows,  from  the  records  in  his  own  of- 
fice, that  the  Government  owes  A  a  thousand  dollars, 
and  A  calls  to  have  his  account  settled.  A  must  prove 
his  case,  before  the  Chief  of  the  Bureau  will  even  give  him 


A    MAN   AND    HIS   SOUL.  3 1 

a  footing  for  his  claim  ;  and  if  he  has  to  depend  upon  the 
Government  for  his  evidence,  he  can  collect  nothing,  and 
the  Government  is  placed  in  the  attitude  of  a  deliberate 
swindler  of  an  honest  man.  This  precaution  is  taken- — 
that  is,  the  precaution  of  withholding  evidence — to  pre- 
vent the  building  up  of  claims  against  the  Government ; 
but  I  claim  that  the  conduct  of  a  government  should 
always  be  on  a  par  with  the  conduct  of  a  high- 
minded  and  honorable  man,  and  that  there  should  be 
established,  at  Washington,  a  tribunal  for  the  trial  of 
claims  against  the  Government,  and  that  the  elements 
of  justice  and  right  alone  should  be  the  considerations 
in  their  settlement." 

I  might  have  gone  on  further  with  this  subject,  for 
it  was  one  in  which  I  was  deeply  interested  ;  but  my  at- 
tention was  distracted  by  the  fact  that  Captain  Har- 
court,  while  continually  nodding  approval,  did  not  look 
me  in  the  face  as  he  talked,  but  appeared  to  be  look- 
ing intently  at  something  just  beyond  me.  His  look 
of  interest  was  so  intense  that  it  gave  me  a  peculiar 
feeling.  There  was  nothing  even  suggestive  of  the 
uncanny  about  the  Captain  ;  but  it  was  very  clear  that 
he  saw  something  that  I  could  not  see,  and  that  he 
was,  in  reality,  looking  at  some  picture  which  pleased 
him  very  much. 

I  have  never  been  very  backward  about  asking  ques- 
tions. It  has  been  my  trade  for  some  years,  and  I  felt 
that  I  knew  the  Captain  well  enough  now  to  venture 
across  the  line  of  mere  acquaintance  and  seek  to  pene- 
trate the  peculiarities  of  his  character  and  disposition. 
I   said,  with   mock  earnestness  :  "  Oh,  perfectly  happy 


32  A   MAN   AND    HIS   SOUL. 

man,  what  is  it  that  you  see  that  others  do  not  ?  It  is 
not  the  first  time  I  have  seen  that  expression  of  con- 
tentment and  enjoyment  upon  your  face  at  some 
apparent  picture  spread  before  you.  Is  that  the  ex- 
planation of  your  tranquility  and  your  contentment? 
Do  you  possess  means  of  entertainment  and  interest 
beyond  those  the  powers  give  to  ordinary  man  ?  " 

At  first  he  made  no  answer,  but  shifted  his  attention 
to  my  right,  and  looked  as  intently  beyond  me  as  he 
had  before.  There  was  no  appearance  of  discourtesy 
upon  his  part.  He  simply  seemed  to  be  addressing 
himself  to  some  one  just  beyond  me.  I  waited  a  mo- 
ment, and  then  he  made,  slowly,  this  answer :  "  I  am 
glad  to  see  that  you  are  to  be  accorded  the  privilege 
which  I  have  so  long  enjoyed." 

"  You  have  so  long  enjoyed  ?  " 

"  Yes  ;  ever  since  I  recovered  my  health  on  the  Island 
of  Nolos.  It  was  there  I  learned  all  that  has  given  me 
my  health  and  my  serenity.  I  came  to  Washington 
with  a  purpose,  and  that  was  to  leave  some  one  here 
who  should  enjoy,  upon  my  departure,  all  of  the  faculties 
of  nature  which  have  been  developed  in  me.  I  shall 
go  to  London  and  to  Paris  for  the  purpose  of  leaving 
there,  let  us  say,  diplomatic  representatives  of  the 
Island  of  Nolos.  You  shall  be  our  ambassador  here. 
You  shall  have  full  powers  ;  and  it  is  certain  that  you 
will  not  exchange  this  ambassadorship  for  that  of  the 
proudest  and  most  powerful  nation  of  the  earth." 

"The  ambassadorship  of  Nolos!  And  what,  may  I 
ask,  are  the  wonderful  powers  and  privileges  of  such  an 
ambassadorship  ?  " 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  33 

The  Captain  now  looked  at  me  directly,  as  he  said  : 
"  The  representative  of  the  Island  of  Nolos  has  the 
double  power  of  seeing  things  exactly  as  they  are  in 
contrast  with  what  they  should  be." 


34 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE   CAPTAIN   ASKS   ME  TO  INTRODUCE  HIM  TO  WASH- 
INGTON  SOCIETY,   AND   PROMISES   IN   RETURN 
TO  INTRODUCE  ME  TO  MY  IMMORTAL 
SOUL. 

This  brief  explanation  of  the  Captain's  really  ex- 
plained nothing.  I  had  no  opportunity  to  obtain  any 
more  information  from  him  at  that  particular  time,  as 
I  was  summoned  away  by  an  imperative  message  from 
the  office  below.  A  friend  of  a  life-time  was  there,  on 
his  way  to  a  train,  and  he  had  some  message,  which  he 
thought  of  great  importance,  to  deliver,  so  I  left  the 
Captain  before  I  had  a  final  understanding.  There  are 
many  people  who  think  they  see  things  as  they  are,  and 
so  his  claim  in  this  regard  meant  nothing  to  me.  I 
believe  that  this  is  one  of  the  first  principles  of  jour- 
nalism. I  recall,  now,  a  cynical  managing  editor,  who 
coached  me  in  my  earlier  days,  and  who  said  to  me,  upon 
one  memorable  occasion  :  "  Try  and  see  things  as  they 
are  ;  but  try  and  see  them  awfully  lively.  Do  not  be 
too  damnably  literal,  and  use  your  imagination  when 
the  law  does  not  forbid."  Captain  Harcourt  might 
see  things  as  they  really  were,  and  not  find  that  a 
special  object  of  contentment.  Then,  too,  the  con- 
trasting picture  of  things  as  they  should  be,  might  be- 
come a  subject  for  despair,  instead  of  happiness. 


A   MAN   AND    HIS   SOUL.  35 

After  I  had  finished  with  the  visit  of  my  friend,  I 
received  a  note  from  Captain  Harcourt,  asking  me  to 
return  to  his  room  that  evening.  The  rest  of  the  day  I 
was  occupied  with  ordinary  matters.  After  dinner, 
instead  of  going  to  my  accustomed  seat  before  the 
fire  in  the  office,  I  walked  up  to  Captain  Harcourt  "s 
room,  where  I  knocked,  and  was  told  to  enter.  Here, 
too,  was  another  open  fire,  and  at  one  corner  sat  the 
Captain,  buried  in  an  easy  chair.  He  invited  me,  by  a 
gesture,  to  take  a  seat  opposite. 

He  began  his  conversation  with  a  question  :  "Where 
are  you  going  this  evening?  " 

"  I  have  no  very  important  engagement — nothing 
that  I  would  not  gladly  surrender  for  the  pleasure  of  a 
quiet  talk  with  you  by  this  fireside." 

"  Oh,  I  don't  wish  to  interfere  with  any  engagement 
you  have.     Tell  me,  where  had  you  intended  to  go  ?  " 

"There  is  a  reception  at  the  Russian  Legation  this 
evening.  I  had  thought  of  going  there,  but  not  before 
eleven  o'clock.  There  is  a  little  supper  at  Senator 
Stanley's,  where  I  may  drop  in  between  twelve  and 
one.  He  is  a  very  intimate  friend  of  mine,  and  he  has 
insisted  upon  my  coming  to  him  for  a  little  while. 
Mrs.  Captain  Spencer  has  a  reception  on  Massa- 
chusetts Avenue,  where  a  lot  of  nice  Army  and  Navy 
people  are  sure  to  be.  I  had  thought  of  looking  in 
there,  on  my  way  to  the  legation.  Why  do  you  ask? 
Would  you  like  to  go  along?" 
"  Very  much." 

"  I  will  just  step  to  the  telephone,  then,  and  call  up 
the  Secretary  of  the  Russian  Legation,  who  is  a  friend 


36  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

of  mine,  and  ask  his  permission  to  bring  you  with  me.  I 
will  not  have  time  to  send  down  to  Mrs.  Spencer;  but 
she  is  a  very  good  friend  of  mine,  and  you,  as  an  old 
naval  officer,  will  be  very  welcome. 

"  But  it  is  rather  odd,  my  dear  Captain,  that  you 
should  want  to  go  at  all.  I  never  heard  of  your  going 
out  since  you  have  been  here.  Each  night,  I  have 
found  you  always  in  the  same  seat,  and  in  the  same 
attitude,  and  so  supremely  contented,  that  I  cannot 
imagine  you  now  going  out  from  yourself,  seeking 
diversion.  Is  it  possible  that  the  perfectly  happy  man, 
who  sees  things  as  they  are,  as  well  as  things  as 
they  should  be,  feels,  at  last,  the  desire  for  a  change  ?  " 

"  It  is  not  exactly  that.  I  am  not  confined  by  any 
law  of  the  Island  of  Nolos  to  remain  stationary  at  any 
particular  time,  or  to  confine  myself  to  any  prescribed 
round  :  I  love  variety,  as  you  do  ;  but  in  that  variety 
which,  to  you,  long  ago  begun  to  stale,  I  find  that 
infinite,  ever- reaching  one  which  is  never  weari- 
some." 

It  was  now  nine  o'clock  ;  so  I  observed  to  the  Captain 
that  good  things  never  lose  by  the  waiting.  If  we  were 
to  go  out,  it  was  time  to  dress.  And  so  I  said  to  him  : 
"  Did  you  ask  me  to  come  here  this  evening  for  no 
other  purpose  than  to  beg  of  me  the  privilege  of  going 
out  with  me  into  Washington  society  ?  " 

''There  was  another  reason,"  said  he.  "  I  wished  to 
begin  to-night  the  development  of  your  sixth  sense." 

"  But  I  have  arrived  at  that  already.  I  am  a  news- 
paper correspondent,"  was  my  reply.  "  All  good  news- 
paper correspondents  have,  at  least,  the  six  senses,  and 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  37 

I  have  known  one  or  two  who  thought  they  had  the 
seventh." 

The  Captain  looked  at  me  gravely.  "  I'm  in  earnest," 
said  I.  "  The  gathering  of  news  ;  the  sifting  of  opinions  ; 
the  studying  of  people,  occasioned  by  the  duties  of  a 
working  journalist,  do  develop  in  him  an  odd,  intuitive 
sense,  which  often,  without  apparent  rjiyme  or  reason, 
leads  him  to  a  result  he  could  not  have  obtained  with 
the  five  senses." 

Captain  Harcourt  said  :  "  I  can  tell  you  all  there  is 
to  tell  you  at  present  in  an  hour.  Surely,  we  have 
time  enough  for  that.  You  remember  that,  in  my  first 
account  that  I  gave  you  of  the  Island  of  Nolos,  I  men- 
tioned the  name  of  the  doctor  who  restored  me  to 
health.  In  so  doing,  he  performed  a  scientific  miracle. 
The  doctor  was  a  great  Oriental  scholar.  He  was,  for 
many  years,  an  out-and-out  Theosophist,  and  passion- 
ately devoted  to  the  study  of  occult  subjects.  Soon, 
even  Theosophy  became  to  him  tame,  and,  at  the  time 
I  knew  him,  he  claimed  to  have  penetrated  further  into 
the  heart  of  nature,  and  in  the  discovery  of  its  unknown 
laws,  than  any  mere  student  of  Theosophical  Science. 
He  had  ransacked  the  world  for  information.  He 
spent  several  years  with  Keeley  in  Philadelphia,  and  he 
came  away  from  that  man  enchanted  with  the  discov- 
eries made  at  the  Keeley  laboratory.  You,  yourself, 
have  witnessed  some  of  the  tests  made  by  this  great 
man.  I  call  him  a  great  man  advisedly.  He  is  the 
great  pioneer  discoverer  of  his  age.  It  is  he  who  has 
traced  out  the  law  of  that  unknown  power,  which,  op- 
posed constantly  to  the  law  of  gravitation,  is   the   sus- 


38  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

taining  element  which  carries  the  stars  on  their  swift- 
flying  way  through  the  subtle  ether  of  the  universe." 

"Yes;  I  have  witnessed  some  of  the  tests  of  Mr. 
Keeley.  I  remember,  distinctly,  the  time  when  he  was 
called  a  humbug.  I  suppose  that  is  the  fate  of  every 
man  who  is  too  far  ahead  of  his  fellows.  I  shall  never 
forget  the  tests  made  with  him,  when  Professor  Ray- 
mond went  to  his  laboratory.  I  was  one  of  the  wit- 
nesses of  that  most  remarkable  display  of  power,  de- 
veloped by  what  the  world  called  the  Keeley  motor. 
It  was  an  odd  idea  to  see  a  great  engine  started  by  the 
vibration  of  chords  of  music.  When  the  committee, 
moved  to  a  perfect  passion  of  rage  at  the  possibility  of 
any  deception,  through  their  eagerness  to  examine  the 
engine  in  question,  deranged  its  cunningly-devised 
machinery,  in  a  second,  a  shock  passed  through  its 
magnificent  mechanism,  with  the  resistless  force  of  an 
earthquake,  and  a  powerful  steel  shaft  was  twisted  be- 
fore the  face  and  eyes  of  the  committeemen,  as  though 
it  had  been  made  of  paper.  I  shall  never  forget 
Keeley's  despair,  and  his  emotion,  at  the  ruin  of  his 
splendid  machine,  which  had  cost  him  so  much  money." 

Captain  Harcourt  replied  to  this :  "  I  am  glad  that 
you  have  seen  the  man  and  have  some  appreciation  of 
the  importance  of  his  work.  Surely,  is  there  not  a 
great  unknown  power,  such  as  he  describes,  in  the 
world?  What  is  the  power  that  sustains  the  stars? 
What  is  the  subtle  element  which  supplies  the  electric 
current  ?  If  we  had,  once,  control  of  that  power,  then 
a  new  era  would  dawn  upon  the  world.  The  clumsy 
devices  now  employed   for   heat,  motive   power,  and, 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  39 

even,  lighting,  would  all  be  changed.  There  is  an  inex- 
haustible force  to  be  had,  for  nothing,  to  those  who  are 
wise  enough  to  know  how  to  reach  it.  The  time  will 
come  when  the  atmosphere  will  be  illuminated  by  it.  By- 
one  phase  of  this  development  of  power,  and  through  it, 
the  laws  of  gravitation  can  be  overcome,  to  the  extent 
that  flying  machines  will  become  possible. 

He    then    continued  :  "  But   this   is,   apparently,   far 
away  from  the  Island  of  Nolos  and  my  doctor  friend." 


40 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE    ISLAND   OF   NOLOS,    WHERE   CAPTAIN   HARCOURT 
MET   HIS   SOUL. 

"  For  the  moment,  I  will  not  go  into  any  elaborate 
explanation  of  my  life  on  the  Island  of  Nolos,  nor  of 
the  wonderful  power  of  Doctor  Longman.  He  first 
studied  the  lore  of  Occultism  in  the  far  East,  and, 
underlying  it  all,  he  found  a  thread  that  contained  a 
clue  to  an  advance  upon  the  art,  as  it  had  been 
known  and  practised  by  the  most  skillful  of  the  ex- 
perts. To  rise  to  the  powers  of  an  adept,  in  the 
ancient  school  of  Occult  Science,  the  student  was  re- 
quired to  subordinate  his  physical  self  for  years.  He 
was  required  to  stamp  out  his  passions,  and  subordinate 
every  element  in  his  nature  that  had  previously  given 
him  pleasure.  He  was  required  to  renounce  all  human 
ties,  and  to  banish  from  his  mental  dictionary  the 
word  woman.  Everything  in  his  mind  was  to  be 
cleansed  to  the  highest  degree  of  perfection.  In  spite 
of  years  of  patience  and  self-denial,  at  the  closing 
chapter  of  some  final  advancement,  an  impure  thought 
or  chance  suggestion  of  ambition,  forcing  itself  into  the 
mind  of  the  aspirant,  would  secure  his  absolute  rejection. 
His  candidacy  was  never  assured,  and,  oftentimes,  the 
most  faithful  work  only  resulted  in  final  failure. 
Naturally,  the   adepts  were  few  in   number  :   as  few  in 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  41 

the  world  are  strong  enough  in  character  or  mind  to 
arrive  at  the  high  plane  of  self-denial  required  ;  while, 
as  the  difficulties  become  known,  fewer  still  would  de- 
sire to  become  candidates.  It  is  more  in  accordance 
with  the  nature  of  the  average  mortal  to  seize  the 
pleasures  near  at  hand  at  moderate  cost,  than  to  pay  a 
great  price  for  distant  joys.  But,  my  friend,  Doctor 
Longman,  penetrated  far  enough  into  the  study  of  the 
high  principles  of  Theosophy  to  be  admitted,  finally,  as 
an  adept.  His  practical  nature  has  placed  him  in  the 
front  rank  of  discoverers,  and  he  has  much  simplified 
this  Occult  Science,  by  becoming  the  pioneer  in  a  new 
development. 

11  It  is  a  well-established  fact,  that  in  all  the  great 
developments  of  nature  changes  are  made  slowly. 
No  great  invention  is  swiftly  developed.  Thousands 
of  minds  are  often  at  work  upon  the  same  problem  : 
first,  one  inventor  obtains  a  clue,  and  meets  with  the 
usual  opposition  from  the  stupid  ;  then,  another  clue  is 
found  by  some  one  else  ;  and,  then,  perchance,  at  the 
last,  there  appears  a  receptive  mind  that  gathers  up  all 
the  work  of  the  others,  and  it  receives  the  final  im- 
pulse in  such  a  way  as  to  crown  the  experiment  with 
success.  The  last  man  is  the  one  who  becomes 
famous,  although  he  has  been  only  an  instrument,  like 
the  rest,  to  receive  some  of  the  impressions  which  are 
constantly  being  given  to  the  world  in  the  interests  of 
an  advancing  civilization. 

"  As  I  observed  before,  the  doctor  was  directed  to 
go  to  Philadelphia,  after  he  had  finished  his  Eastern 
studies  ;  and  it  was  with  Mr.  Keeley  that  he  made  the 


42  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

discovery,  which  will,  in  my  humble  judgment,  do  so 
much  to  revolutionize  modern  life,  and  move  us  up 
nearer  to  the  ideal  existence  of  happiness,  to  which 
every  one  born  in  the  world  is  honestly  entitled." 

"  May  I  ask  what  that  discovery  was?  " 

"Yes;  it  was  the  ready  and  simple  means  required 
to  introduce  each  individual  to  his  immortal  soul. 
Everything  is  simple  after  that." 

"  Introduce  one  to  his  own  soul !  You  mean  in  a 
figurative  sense  ?  " 

"  No  ;  I  mean  exactly  what  I  say.  He  found  the 
means  to  perform  the  actual  introduction  of  the  indi- 
vidual to  his  soul,  so  that  he  could  actually  see  his 
soul,  and  carry  on  as  distinct  conversations  with  the 
same  as  can  two  individuals." 

I  glanced  at  Captain  Harcourt,  as  he  looked  curiously 
beyond  me,  from  time  to  time.  He  was  as  quiet  and 
serene  as  ever.  I,  who  had  been  a  professed  Material- 
ist all  my  life,  had,  at  bottom,  a  rare  liking  for  the 
mystical,  when  there  was  no  evidence  of  vulgar  chican- 
ery; and  so  I  turned  with  pleasure  towards  the  Captain, 
as  I  said  : 

"  It  must  be  a  delightfully  odd  and  original  ex- 
perience to  be  able  to  meet  one's  own  soul.  I  wonder 
what  kind  of  soul  has  long  inhabited  my  poor  body. 
I  have  wondered  if  there  was  any  such  thing  ?  " 

"Any  such  being,  you  should  say." 

"Custom  has  taught  me  to  speak  of  the  soul  as  im- 
personal." 

"  I  know  there  is  no  harm  in  that.  Such  phrases 
have  been   employed   because    no  one,   not   even   the 


A    MAX   AND    HIS   SOUL.  43 

highest  adepts,  have  understood,  until  recently,  the 
real  character  of  the  soul,  and  the  relations  existing 
between  the  soul  and  the  human  habitation  it  is  called 
upon,  from  time  to  time,  to  occupy.  To  fully  understand 
this,  you  must  meet  your  own  soul  and  talk  with  him. 
He  will  have  no  secrets  from  you." 

"  But  how  can  one  meet  his  soul  ?  " 

"  I  will  soon  make  that  plain  to  you,  as  it  was  made 
clear  to  me  by  my  friend,  Doctor  Longman.  He  had 
been,  for  years,  upon  the  track  of  his  discovery,  when  he 
and  I  met  on  shipboard,  at  the  time  I  was  on  my  way  to 
South  Africa  to  die.  The  doctor  was  just  returning 
from  Philadelphia,  where  he  had  spent  three  years  with 
Keeley,  the  greatest  inventor  of  his  time.  Keeley 
confines  his  discoveries  to  the  material  world.  It  is  he 
who,  before  he  dies,  will  be  able  to  utilize  the  power 
that  sustains  the  planets  and  stars  in  the  Universe,  as 
opposed  to  the  law  of  gravitation  or  attraction,  which 
prescribes  their  orbits.  This  mighty  force  is,  to-day, 
registered  in  the  medium  of  electricity,  and  made  to 
perform  only  a  tithe  of  the  work  it  will  perform  when 
fully  developed.  We  are  very  near  the  time  when  it 
will  be  the  motive  power  of  the  world,  and  the  source 
of  artificial  heat  and  light,  at  a  cost  so  slight  that 
climates  can  be  practically  changed,  and  the  most 
sterile  soils  reclaimed,  through  the  power  of  this 
fructifying  heat  principle." 

The  Captain,  here,  continued  :  "  I  do  not  mean,  now, 
to  go  into  the  material  side  of  the  Keeley  motor  dis- 
covery, but  will  only  allude  to  the  discovery  of  Doctor 
Longman,  made  in  the  Island  of  Nolos,  after  his  return 


44  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

with  me  there.  He  became  attached  to  me,  first,  by 
kindly  liking,  and  then,  later,  he  desired  to  use  me  for 
the  purpose  of  making  an  experiment.  He  said  to  me, 
then,  that  I  had  been  given  up  by  all  of  my  physicians, 
and  that  I  could  well  afford  to  try  experiments,  partic- 
ularly when  they  were  of  a  nature  that  could  by  no 
possible  means  injure  me.  At  this  time,  I  was  strangely 
indifferent  to  life.  It  is  a  compensation,  sometimes 
given  one,  stricken  by  mortal  disease,  by  kindly  nature. 
When  we  arrived  at  the  island,  I  found  the  most  favor- 
able climate  and  surroundings. 

"  The  doctor's  house,  a  strongly-built,  wide-veran- 
dahed  cottage,  occupied  an  isolated  position  upon  a 
bluff,  that  overlooked  the  blue  sea  that  surrounded 
the  tiny  island.  No  servants  lived  in  the  cottage.  The 
few  that  were  required,  occupied  quarters  on  the  neigh- 
boring grounds.  No  more  beautiful  place  in  the  world 
could  have  been  found  for  a  student.  The  climate, 
ever  genial  and  bright  ;  the  gentle,  serene,  luxuriant 
landscape  of  wild  and  cultivated  foliage  against  a  back- 
ground of  blue  sea,  rarely  flecked  with  white,  made  a 
surrounding  so  full  of  repose,  that,  here,  enchanting 
dreams  come  and  hardly  rival  the  reality  of  this  poetic 
and  serene  isle  of  the  southern  seas. 

"  It  was  here  that  the  ravages  of  consumption,  that 
had  been  devouring  me  with  such  rapidity,  were 
checked,  and  at  last  were  driven  out  by  the  powerful 
aid  of  my  soul." 

"  Your  soul?  " 

"If  it  had  not  been  for  my  soul,  and  his  consent,  I 
would  not  now  be  here." 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  45 

"  Do  you  draw  a  distinction  between  the  individual 
I  and  the  soul  ?  " 

"  You  shall  judge  yourself.  My  answer  would  be, 
as  we  now  stand,  yes  and  no  ;  but,  pardon  me,  if  I  get 
on  as  rapidly  as  possible  with  my  explanation,  before  I 
begin  to  weary  you." 

"You  need  not  fear  that." 

"  Doctor  Longman  was  greatly  aided  in  his  discoveries 
by  his  constant  communications  from  the  adepts  in 
Thibet,  with  whom  he  had  so  long  studied.  It  was  his 
election  to  complete  his  work  in  the  world,  although 
the  Island  of  Nolos,  where  he  spent  the  greater  part  of 
his  time,  was  as  much  out  of  the  real  world  as  if  he 
were  in  the  mountain  fastnesses  of  Thibet." 

"  Did  he  use  the  regular  means  of  communication, 
or  was  he  enabled  to  receive  letters  sent  through  space, 
as  I  have  seen  in  works  descriptive  of  theosophical 
wonderment  ?" 

"  No  ;  all  such  descriptions  are  untrue,  so  far  as  I 
understand.  The  messages  were  sent  to  the  doctor 
through  means  of  thought-transference,  and  were, 
sometimes,  seen  in  the  crystal,  as  the  doctor  was  a 
gifted  seer  of  the  dark  mirror,  and  could  often  view 
events,  taking  place  at  the  greatest  distance,  simply  with 
the  aid  of  his  Egyptian  mirror.  But,  some  day,  you 
will  go  to  the  Island  of  Nolos  with  me,  and  then  you 
will  learn  all  about  it." 

"I  go  to  the  Island  of  Nolos?" 

"  Yes  ;  most  assuredly.  It  is  there  you  will  alone 
become  intimate  with  your  own  soul.  You  will  receive 
an   invitation   from   the   doctor    before   my  departure 


46  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

from  Washington.  But,  to  my  own  case.  Doctor 
Longman  had  become  convinced,  after  his  studies  in 
Philadelphia,  that  the  essence  of  the  principle  sought 
to  be  controlled  by  Keeley  for  material  purposes  was, 
undoubtedly,  the  life  principle  which  animated  man. 
No  one  had  understood  this  life  principle.  It  had 
always  escaped  analysis.  No  scientist  could  locate  it, 
or  define  it.  He  could  analyze  the  substances  of  all 
materials,  and  give  names  to  them  all ;  but  no  power  of 
man  could  go  beyond  the  material  barrier.  Man,  with 
all  his  skill,  could  not  produce  even  the  shadow  of  the 
life  principle.  No  savant  has  ever  been  able,  or  will 
be  able,  to  make  the  smallest  blade  of  grass.  It  is  the 
life  principle,  lying  under  all  creation,  that  has  escaped 
us  all.  In  the  body  of  man  there  is  a  mysterious  force, 
sympathetic  and  responsive,  that  escapes  diagnosis  or 
analysis.  What  is  it  that  sends  the  flash  of  sensation 
from  nerve  to  brain,  and  there  records  it  ?  What 
power  is  it  that  enables  the  will  to  close  the  hand,  to 
move  the  legs  of  the  body  ?  What  power  is  it  that 
sustains  the  involuntary  action  of  the  great  organs? 
What  mysterious  influence  is  it  that  checks  the 
action  of  these  organs  under  the  shock  of  bad  news,  so 
that  death  sometimes  intervenes  ?  What  is  it  that 
often  brings  a  patient  back  from  the  gates  of  death, 
when  physicians  and  medicines  have  failed  ?  Let  a 
wave  of  happiness  come,  and  the  life  principle,  restored 
by  some  mysterious  influence,  sends  the  dying  patient 
back  to  health  and  happiness.  What  is  the  will  ? 
What  makes  some  men  strong  and  resolute,  and  others 
feeble  and  cowardly?     These   questions,  studied  pro- 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  47 

foundly  by  Doctor  Longman,  brought  home  to  him  the 
conviction  that  the  life  principle  was  an  emanation  of 
the  mighty  power,  miscalled  electricity,  and  which  per- 
meates the  imponderable  ether  of  the  Universe.  The 
soul,  according  to  his  idea,  was  the  directing  element 
of  the  power  ;  in  other  words,  the  engineer  of  this 
mysterious  force.  The  soul  is  proved  to  exist  in  the 
preliminary  study  of  the  adepts ;  but  it  was  left  to 
Doctor  Longman  to  demonstrate  the  great  possibilities 
to  be  found  in  the  study  and  intimate  acquaintance  of 
this  subject. 

"  His  first  discovery  was  based  upon  observance  of 
undisputed  fact — that,  in  illness,  whatever  contributes 
to  the  perfect  contentment  of  the  mind  of  the  patient 
contributes  more  to  his  recovery  than  any  medicine. 
He  argued  from  that,  perfect  happiness  meant  perfect 
health,  and  he  insisted  that  this  world  could  be  ad- 
vanced when  the  individual  could  be  made  to  reach 
upwards  to  his  proper  heritage  of  perfect  happiness. 
In  his  studies  in  Thibet  he  had  learned  that  much 
of  the  unhappiness  of  the  body — that  is,  disease — was 
owing  to  the  lack  of  harmony  between  the  body  and 
the  soul  occupying  it.  The  soul  becomes  impatient 
after  a  time,  when  the  body  is  weak  and  wasted,  and  is 
eager  to  leave  it.  The  withdrawal  of  its  support 
weakens,  instantly,  the  life  principle,  and  physical  col- 
lapse follows.  Now,  his  hope  with  me  was  in  having 
me  with  him,  under  the  most  favorable  conditions.  '  In 
the  first  place,'  said  he,  '  I  shall  steep  you  in  happiness. 
A  soul  is,  naturally,  at  home  only  in  a  perfectly  happy 
body.     If  I  can  restore  the  lost  harmony  between  your 


48  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

soul  and  your  enfeebled  body,  you  will  experience 
possibly  the  recuperative  powers  of  the  life  principle, 
summoned  back  by  the  imperious  command  of  the 
soul.' 

"  This  was  the  theory  of  his  cure.  Through  his  power 
he  reduced  me  to  a  negative  condition,  and,  through 
the  power  of  his  mirror,  he  introduced  me  to  a  sight  of 
the  wondrous  visions  of  what  was  being  done  through- 
out the  world  of  spiritual  development.  By  his  skill 
the  doctor  placed  me  in  such  harmonious  relations  with 
the  divine  order  of  the  Universe,  that  I  heard  its  mystic 
music  for  the  first  time.  My  heart  overflowed  with 
happiness.  I  saw  a  world  really  united,  and  working 
for  the  advancement  of  all.  Such  visions  as  were  given 
me  filled  me  with  such  an  endless  source  of  enjoyment 
that  I  forgot  all  else.  But  the  doctor  noted,  calmly, 
that  the  body  was  recovering  its  lost  tone  ;  the  hidden 
weakness  disappeared.  In  three  months'  time,  I,  my 
body,  was  restored  to  the  absolute  perfection  of  health. 
The  doctor  was  made  so  happy  by  this  discovery,  that 
he  went  even  further  in  his  demonstrations  of  the  in- 
fluence of  the  soul.  I  will  abridge  the  history  of  his 
long  experiments,  by  saying  that  he  finally  arrived  at 
the  point  where  he  could,  without  breaking  the  tie 
between  soul  and  body,  yet  so  separate  them,  that  the 
two,  as  separate  intelligences,  could  see  and  converse 
with  each  other." 

'•  To  what  end?  ' 
'  To  the  advancement  of  their  mutual  interests." 

"  Mutual  interests  ?  " 

"  Yes ;    the   soul   is   only    finally    released    from    the 


A    MAN    AND    HIS    SOUL.  49 

lower  sphere  of  existence,  when  it  has  occupied  the 
body  of  one  who  has  fulfilled  all  the  higher  laws,  and 
has  arrived  at  perfect  happiness." 

"  How  did  you  learn  this?" 

"  In  talking  with  my  soul." 

"  Do  you  see  him  often  ?  " 

"  Every  day.  He  is  always  with  me,  and  always 
visible." 

"  Are  you  in  constant  communication  with  him  ?  " 

:<  Yes.  But  I  consult  him  as  a  friend  and  an  equal. 
He  is  superior  to  me,  as  perfection  is  to  imperfection  ; 
but  between  us  there  is  the  most  perfect  equality  of 
attitude,  and  if  I  were  to  go  contrary  to  his  advice  or 
suggestion,  he  would  not  be  angry.  His  patience  is 
as  infinite  as  the  power  from  which  he  emanated." 

"Where  did  you  first  actually  see  your  soul?" 

"  It  was  in  the  Island  of  Nolos.  It  was  the  last 
triumph  of  the  doctor's  experiment.  My  sixth  sense 
became  so  highly  developed  that  I  was  able  to  see,  at 
first  dimly,  my  soul,  when  separated  lightly  from  me 
by  the  doctor.  At  first,  he  appeared  as  a  faintly  out- 
lined vision.  Then  his  outlines  became  more  positive, 
and  now,  to-day,  his  proportions  and  form,  are  to  me  as 
positive  as  yours,  as  you  sit  opposite  me." 

"  How  does  your  soul  appear  to  you  ?  " 

"  As  an  individual.  He  is  myself,  perfected.  His 
appearance  is  that  of  my  physical  body,  without  flaw 
or  defect.  His  body  is  the  perfection  of  mine.  As  I 
study  him,  I  see  wherein  I  am  lacking.  My  intelli- 
gence, my  brain,  is  dominated  by  a  spirit,  in  contradis- 
tinction   from  the  soul.     The   individual  I  is  here.     It 


50  A   MAN   AND    HIS   SOUL. 

partakes  of  the  imperfections  of  the  body,  and  only  be- 
comes absorbed  in  the  soul,  the  higher  portion,  when 
the  body  and  spirit  are  perfected.  Here,  the  organ  of 
free  will  permits  the  spirit  to  drag  the  body  down. 
The  spirit  and  the  soul  are  the  real  sub-conscious  ex- 
istences in  our  bodies.  There  are,  apparently,  three 
lives  in  one  ;  but  the  life  of  the  body,  while  distinct  in 
reality,  partakes  so  of  the  nature  of  the  spirit  and  the 
soul  as  to  be  properly  subordinated  to  them.  Remem- 
ber, the  soul  is  perfect  and  can  never  be  degraded.  The 
body  is  under  the  domination  of  the  spirit.  If  the 
bodily  aspirations  are  high,  and  sustained  by  a  close  re- 
lation with  the  soul,  then  the  spirit  becomes  free  and 
soars  upward  to  the  higher  standard  of  the  soul,  with 
whom  it  finally  becomes  united. 

"  The  action  of  the  spirit  is  also  influenced  by  other 
influences  beyond  those  of  its  bodily  association.  When 
released  by  death  from  an  imperfect  or  low  existence, 
it  associates  with  rejected  spirits  of  a  like  class.  They 
are  still  united  to  the  higher  essence  of  the  soul,  which 
drives  them  back  to  a  further  existence  in  the  world, 
until  they  can  earn  the  right  to  a  release.  The  influence 
of  the  spirits  of  the  good,  although  not  yet  perfect,  hovers 
about  the  existence  of  those  who  are  given  to  high  as- 
pirations, so  that  one  is  more  and  more  impressed  with 
the  strong,  upward  influence  of  refined  and  elevating  as- 
sociations. This  atmosphere  of  good,  or  of  evil,  so  clear 
to  every  observer,  is  created  by  the  influence  of  the 
spirits,  who  hover  around  what  is  most  natural  to  them, 
seeking  a  return  to  existence  in  the  world,  where  all  are 
obliged  to  work  out  the  primary  stages  of  development." 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  5  I 

"  Then  we  have  lived  many  lives  ?  According  to 
your  view,  the  spirit  passes  through  many  existences. 
Supposing  this  to  be  true,  where  can  be  the  advantage, 
if  we  have  no  memory  of  our  past  existences.  How 
can  we  profit  by  the  lessons  of  the  past  ?  " 

"  The  record  of  these  existences  is  known  to  the 
spirit.  The  individual  I,  the  essence  of  the  life  of  all, 
could  learn  also  what  he  has  known  in  the  past,  through 
study  of  his  soul,  who  knows  everything.  When  one 
earns  the  right  by  perfect  living  here,  then  he  is  pro- 
moted to  a  higher  and  happier  planet,  where  is  made 
to  him  a  present  of  a  faithful  memory  of  his  past, 
which  he  can  evoke  at  his  pleasure,  for  the  purpose  of 
contrast.  The  time  is  now  reached,  for  a  few,  to  make 
known  some  of  the  possibilities  of  modern  psychical 
developments.  It  is  through  acquaintance  with  my  soul 
that  I  have  learned  the  way  of  perfect  happiness.  But 
it  is  only  by  constant  communication  with  him  that 
I  learn  all  of  the  laws  of  such  living.  With  his  aid,  I 
see  myself  as  I  am,  and,  through  my  spiritual  visitor,  I 
see  him  the  perfection  of  myself,  what  I  should  be." 

"  But  I  should  think,  as  I  said  before,  that  this 
should  be  for  you  the  source  of  anything  but  happi- 
ness. To  compare  your  own  imperfections  with  a 
living  standard  of  perfection,  would,  I  should  think, 
cause  you  despair?" 

"  If  he  were  separate,  absolutely,  from  me,  this  would 
perhaps  be  true.  But  I  remember  that  he  is  always 
part  of  me,  and  so  my  constant  sight  of  him  is  an  en- 
couragement. It  is  the  sight  of  this  splendid  goal 
that  gives  me  contentment  to  walk  in  any  path  of  en- 


52  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

deavor,  and  which  will  entitle  me,  some  day,  to  become 
united  with  the  perfect  self.  Then  the  individual  I, 
the  individuality,  whose  home  is  in  my  mind,  united 
with  my  spirit  purified,  will  become  blended  with  my 
soul,  and  be  privileged  to  return  to  life  and  communion 
in  the  central  abode  of  happiness  and  rest." 

"Where  is  that?" 

"  Of  that  I  know  nothing.  I  know  that  countless 
ages  may  pass  before  the  final  union  may  be  made. 
In  these  long  periods  of  life,  and  change  from  the  life 
of  one  planet  to  another,  time  counts  but  little. 
In  the  development  of  the  individual,  as  in  the  building 
of  the  worlds  of  space,  the  element  of  time  is  not 
to  be  considered.  I  do  not  seek  to  pierce  the  future. 
I  try  to  live  the  life  that  is  most  pleasing  to  my  soul, 
and,  in  so  doing,  I  have  thus  far  found  a  happiness, 
which  has  fortified  my  body  against  fatigue  or  disease. 
What  I  now  enjoy  is  the  heritage  of  everyone.  If  the 
vision  of  the  sixth  sense  were,  to-day,  to  be  given  to 
every  one,  few  would  avail  themselves  of  its  privileges. 
You  shake  your  head.  Well,  tell  me  how  many  there 
aref  whom  you  know,  who  really  desire  to  be  better  ? 
You  must  not  only  have  this  desire,  but  it  must  become 
the  ruling  impulse  of  your  life,  before  you  can  be  in- 
troduced to  your  immortal  soul." 

The  Captain  continued  :  "  When  are  we  to  arrive  at 
the  physical  ideal,  where  one  will  be  made  master  of 
the  full  powers  and  capacities  nature  has  placed  within 
the  reach  of  us  all  ?  Who  will  come  and  teach  us  to 
live  so  as  to  avoid  the  blunders  and  crudities  of  ordi- 
nary existence  ?  Who  will  come  and,  with  the  dexterous 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  53 

art  of  true  knowledge,  remove  the  expression  of  dis- 
content and  dissatisfaction  from  the  faces  of  the  mass 
of  people  who  have  reached  middle  life  ? 

"  Who  knows,  to-day,  a  contented  and  peaceful  old 
age,  dignified,  admirable,  lovable,  that  is  not  so  excep- 
tional as  to  merit  the  writing  of  a  book  to  describe  its 
remarkable  character  ?  Look  at  the  faces  and  forms  of 
the  people  who  are  growing  old.  Some  are  lean, 
shriveled,  with  faces  lined  with  envious  thoughts ; 
while  others  are  burly,  unshapely,  with  laxity  and  self- 
gratification  puffing  every  feature  of  their  unwholesome- 
looking  faces.  The  mean  and  the  ordinary,  in  their 
onward  march  to  the  grave,  step  in  close  and  serried 
ranks,  overshadowing,  in  point  of  numbers,  the  select 
few  who  have  better  learned  the  lesson  of  life,  and 
who  have  gained  some  profit  where  so  many  find  only 
the  ashes  of  disappointment. 

"  Who  stands  as  he  should  ;  who  does  not  walk  with  a 
slouch  ;  who  observes  the  laws  of  neatness  or  of  health  ; 
who  dresses  with  any  real  care  ;  who  wishes  really  for 
any  improvement  ;  who  wants  to  do  what  he  should,  and 
who  does  not  contemplate,  with  pleasure,  the  thought 
of  what  is  conventionally  forbidden  ?  " 

The  Captain  looked  kindly  at  me,  as  he  said  :  "lam 
convinced  that  your  dissatisfaction  with  life,  as  it  now 
runs,  is  as  much  a  sign  of  a  great  mental  ill  health,  as 
the  ill  health  that  troubled  me  physically  when  I  first 
went  to  the  Island  of  Nolos.  Now,  I  have  told  you 
what  I  have,  to  prepare  you,  yourself,  for  an  introduc- 
tion to  your  own  soul ;  for,  I  am  sure  that  you  are  to  do 
good  in  the  world,  and  that  half  of  your  present  un- 


54  A    MAN  AND   HIS   SOUL. 

happiness  lies  in  the  fact  that  you  feel  yourself  in  a 
groove  of  life,  from  which  there  is  no  outlook  that 
satisfies  your  real  ambition.  If  you  were  anxious  for 
the  gratification  of  an  ambition,  as  it  is  ordinarily  un- 
derstood, I  should  not  have  suggested  to  you  what  I 
now  shall  propose.  As  soon  as  you  are  sufficiently 
familiar  with  my  plans,  and  feel  in  harmony  with  the 
same,  I  shall  do  for  you  the  kindness  performed  forme 
by  Doctor  Longman,  and  introduce  you  to  your  own 
soul.  I  wished  to  tell  you  this  before  going  out  with 
you,  as  you  could  thus  understand  better  what  would 
have  appeared  to  you  as  more  and  more  mysterious  as 
our  intimacy  increased." 

"  Is  your  sensitized  vision  confined  to  seeing  your 
own  soul?  " 

"  Through  him,  but  through  him  only,  can  I  see  the 
souls  of  others.  It  is  as  he  wills.  From  him  I  often 
learn  of  the  condition  of  men  and  things  that  other- 
wise might  have  deceived  me." 

"  The  secrets  of  others  should  be  laid  bare  to  you. 
You  are  a  man  to  be  dreaded." 

"  On  the  contrary ;  the  immortal  souls  are  very  loyal 
and  never  impart  any  information  concerning  the 
individuals  to  which  they  are  allied,  save  and  except 
where  such  information  is  necessary  for  the  inquirer's 
well  being,  or  to  prevent  the  one  informed  against  from 
doing  some  evil  act." 

At  this  I  arose.  It  was  now  ten  o'clock.  "  Come," 
said  I,  "  it  will  take  me  ten  minutes  to  dress.  We  will 
leave  here  at  half-past  ten.  You  have  a  perfect  genius 
for  fairy  tales,  Captain  Harcourt,  and  I  am  indebted  to 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  55 

you  for  a  very  charming  entertainment.  Your  air  of 
absolute  candor,  and  tone  of  deep  conviction,  made  me, 
for  a  time,  believe  all  you  have  said,  in  spite  of  myself ; 
but,  before  accepting  one  shred  of  your  beautiful  and 
impossible  theory,  my  dear  Captain,  I  shall  have  to 
wait  until " 

"  Until  when?"  he  gravely  asked. 

"  Until  you  actually  present  me  to  my  own  immortal 
soul." 

"  I  am  quite  content  to  wait  until  then,"  said  the 
Captain,  with  a  smile,  as  I  backed  out  of  his  room  to 
run  away  to  dress. 


56 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE    RECEPTION   AT   THE    RUSSIAN   LEGATION 

In  a  moment  more,  we  entered  our  carriage,  and  were 
driven  over  the  smooth  asphalt  of  the  wide  streets  un- 
til the  Legation,  a  massive,  square  building,  half  a  mile 
distant  to  the  northwest,  was  reached.  We  found  this 
building  ablaze  with  light.  Outside,  carriages  were 
packed  in  serried  ranks,  presided  over  by  mounted 
police,  who  kept  everything  moving,  and  who  hoarsely 
called  out  the  names  of  the  departing  guests,  and  sped 
on  the  vehicles  of  the  arrivals.  The  sonorous  calls  of 
the  police  under  the  huge  porte  cockere,  where  also 
stood  two  stalwart  Russian  diasseiirs,  in  full  winter 
livery,  buried  in  furs,  were  taken  up  by  the  drivers 
down  the  long  line  of  carriages.  The  coachmen  were 
nearly  all  negroes,  with  powerful  high-pitched  voices. 
They  chanted  the  calls  with  the  rich,  sweet  notes  of 
plantation  singers.  The  negroes  enjoyed  the  excitement 
and  the  uproar  of  the  confused  circle  that  surrounded 
the  great  lighted  house,  which  stood  out  in  warm 
relief  against  the  cold  driving  night.  When  a  departing 
guest  was  the  happy  owner  of  a  title,  this  was  the  sig- 
nal for  the  negroes  on  the  boxes  of  the  carriages  to 
give  unusual  emphasis  and  prolonged  notes  to  their 
cries.  A  general  of  the  army,  or  a  senator  of  the  United 
States,  had  his  carriage  called  in  rapturous  notes,  which 


A   MAX    AND    HIS    SOUL.  57 

would  have  done  honor  to  a  hosanna  to  a  king.  In 
spite,  however,  of  the  seeming  confusion,  there  was 
underneath  a  brisk  business  system,  borne  of  many 
similar  scenes,  and  which,  by  its  thoroughness,  avoided 
any  vexatious  delays. 

It  was  after  eleven,  when  we  entered  the  great 
drawing-room,  now  packed  with  a  brilliant  gathering 
of  the  representative  people  of  the  best  classes  of  the 
American  Republic.  The  occasion  was  an  extra-official 
one,  in  honor  of  the  Czar*s  birthday.  The  diplomats 
were,  therefore,  in  full  court  dress,  and  even  the  Presi- 
dent and  his  Cabinet  were  present,  gathered  in  a  com- 
pact group  at  the  upper  end  of  the  drawing-room, 
where  the  Russian  Minister,  a  grave,  pale-faced  bach- 
elor, assisted  by  the  Parisian  wife  of  his  First  Secretary 
of  Legation,  a  dark,  slim  brunette,  in  white  silk  and 
pearls,  stood,  receiving  the  guests.  The  entire  Senate 
of  the  United  States,  the  eager  foreign  types  of  the 
diplomatic  colony,  the  principal  members  of  the  House, 
the  army  and  navy  officers,  in  full  uniform,  with  the 
ladies  of  high  official  society,  made  a  gathering  in- 
teresting and  picturesque  from  point  of  color,  character, 
and  good  taste.  Nearly  every  man  present  was  notable, 
and  had  his  name  written  in  large  capitals  in  the  book 
of  the  nation.  The  babel  of  tongues,  which  rose  and 
fell  like  the  waves  of  the  sea,  included  nearly  every 
modern  language.  The  vivacity  and  formality  of  man- 
ner of  the  foreigners  was  in  striking  contrast  with 
the  self-contained,  easy  dignity  of  the  American  types. 
There  was  nowhere  visible  any  attempt  at  self- 
assertion.      Nearly  every  one    present   was  a  distinct 


58  A   MAN   AND    HIS   SOUL. 

somebody,  conscious  of  his  footing  in  the  world,  and, 
therefore,  careless  whether  such  fact  was  overtly  rec- 
ognized or  not.  Among  the  public  men  one  could 
hardly  find  a  so-called  swell ;  yet,  all  were  correctly 
dressed,  although  an  occasional  carelessness  in  some 
point  of  detail,  never  overlooked  by  one  who  gives  his 
mind  to  dress,  alone,  rather  marked  the  superiority  of 
the  type.  These  public  men,  many  of  whom  had 
passed  the  greater  part  of  their  lives  in  some  small  pro- 
vincial town,  basked  at  their  ease  in  the  full  glare  of 
the  brilliant  gathering,  and  studied  the  faces  of  those 
with  whom  they  came  in  contact  with  the  calmness  of 
men  very  sure  of  themselves.  Trained  to  appear 
before  the  public,  and  to  bear  with  the  front  of 
stoics  the  fiery  ardors  of  combative  debates,  these 
same  men  found  themselves  so  at  home  in  a  crowd, 
that  even  the  political  novices  to  Washington  society 
appeared  like  veterans.  The  complimentary  effusive- 
ness of  the  Southern  men,  and  the  animation  of  the 
Southern  women,  gave  a  touch  of  color  to  the  graver 
manners  of  the  Western  and  Eastern  types.  The 
Western  and  the  Southern  guests  appeared  most  in 
sympathy  with  each  other  ;  but,  throughout  the  whole 
assemblage,  there  was  the  familiar  touch  of  good 
fellowship  found  in  a  harmonious  family.  The  compli- 
ments, the  gay  speeches,  and  the  scandal  talked  at  any 
such  reception,  would  fill  volumes.  It  is  in  such 
gatherings  that  news  of  coming  events  is  gathered 
with  the  greatest  skill  by  the  gossip-lovers.  Every 
true  member  of  Washington  society  loves  gossip,  and 
the  statesman  who  would  keep  his  plans  to  himself 


A    MAN    AND    HIS    SOUL.  59 

would  do  well  to  keep  out  of  the  Washington  houses, 
where,  under  the  stimulus  of  friendly  meeting,  even 
the  most  rigid  and  reserved  unbend,  and  babble  and 
chatter,  like  so  many  school-children.  The  ladies  in 
such  a  society  carry  everything  before  them,  and  some 
of  the  best-kept  secrets  escape  in  such  an  atmosphere 
of  gayety,  and  fly  about  from  under  one  fan  to  an 
other,  until  the  swiftness  of  the  telegraph  is  quite 
eclipsed,  and  the  most  energetic  news-gathering  sys- 
tems of  modern  newspapers  are  put  quite  to  shame. 

As  we  paused  for  a  moment  before  the  Russian  Min- 
ister, he  gave  us  a  smiling,  civil  word,  and  then  passed 
us  on  to  Madame  Neville,  who  stood  on  his  right. 
There  was  a  pause  in  the  movement  of  the  guests  as  we 
came  up,  and,  for  a  moment,  no  one  came  to  say 
farewell. 

Madame  Neville  looked  straight  at  Captain  Har- 
court,  as  she  said  :  "  I  have  never  had  the  pleasure  of 
seeing  you  before.  Are  you  a  late  arrival  in  Washing- 
ton ?" 

"  Xo,  madame.  As  a  former  officer  of  the  navy,  I  once 
lived  here  a  long  time.  I  have  returned  for  a  winter, 
and  this  is  my  first  public  appearance." 

"  I  have  heard  of  you  before,  Captain  Harcourt." 

"  Indeed." 

"  Yes  ;  I  recently  had  a  letter  from  Paris  concerning 
you.     You  remember  Captain  Maxime  de  Berthier  ?  " 

•'  Very  well,  indeed.     We  are  intimate  friends." 

"  He  has  written  me  such  a  pretty  tale  concerning 
your  home  in  the  Island  of  Nolos,  and  even  more." 

'•  And  more  ?  " 


60  A   MAN   AND    HIS   SOUL. 

"Yes  ;  more.  He  says  that  you  are  a  man  who  has 
probed  all  mysteries,  and  even  the  greatest  mystery  of 
all." 

The  Captain  bowed,  without  a  word. 

Madame  Neville  said,  now,  with  a  bow  of  dismissal, 
turning  in  the  direction  of  some  approaching  guests: 
"  I  hope  to  see  more  of  you,  Captain  Harcourt.  Monsieur 
de  Berthier  is  a  cousin  german,  and  he  has  written  so- 
much  about  you,  my  desire  to  see  you  and  talk  to  you 
has  grown  with  his  description.  I  am  at  home  on 
Tuesdays  to  my  special  friends." 

Captain  Harcourt  saluted  profoundly,  and  we  moved 
on. 

A  word  or  two  of  this  conversation  was  heard,  and 
then  passed  on.  In  a  few  moments  these  words  were 
exaggerated,  so  that  my  companion  received  as  much 
attention  as  was  paid  to  the  President  of  the  United 
States,  who,  protected  by  the  body-guard  of  his  Cabinet 
officers  and  higher  officials,  was  the  constant  subject  of 
scrutiny  of  the  curious,  polite,  good-natured  throng, 
which  sought,  by  studying  his  impassive  face,  to  gather 
the  denial  or  affirmation  of  some  one  of  the  numerous 
reports  flying  about  concerning  him,  or  his  action  relat- 
ing to  this  or  that  private  or  public  affair.  It  was  upon 
such  occasions  as  these,  that  the  ever-present,  never- 
dying,  intimate  friend  of  the  President,  whose  name  is 
never  known,  is  so  frequently  quoted  concerning  the 
private  thoughts  of  the  chief  magistrate,  who  holds  in 
his  mighty  hands  the  dispensing  of  favors,  upon  which 
depend  the  ambition  and  political  prosperity  of  the 
greater  number  present. 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  6l 

We  were  accosted,  at  every  turn,  by  an  acquaintance 
or  a  friend.  All  sought  introductions  to  Captain  Har- 
court.  There  appeared  to  be  a  nameless  attraction 
about  him.  An  adroit  question,  here  and  there,  by 
some  active-minded  lady,  brought  out  the  residence 
of  Captain  Harcourt.  Then  this  passed  rapidly  around, 
until  Captain  Harcourt,  the  mysterious  representative 
of  the  Island  of  Nolos,  took  his  unquestioned  position 
as  the  latest,  and,  therefore,  the  most  interesting  nota- 
bility in  a  society  made  up  of  distinguished  and  note- 
worthy people. 

In  one  of  the  sudden  movements  of  the  crowd  in  the 
direction  of  the  supper  room,  the  Captain  and  I  found 
ourselves  in  an  alcove,  where  stood  Senator  Norton, 
then  one  of  the  most  conspicuous  and  powerful  orators 
and  politicians  in  the  upper  branch  of  Congress.  He 
was,  at  that  time,  in  the  prime  of  a  powerful  manhood. 
His  pride  was  as  unyielding  as  his  ability  was  great. 
He  was  tall,  with  the  broad  shoulders,  deep  chest  and 
powerful  thews  of  an  athlete.  He  had  the  pose  and 
gravity  of  an  Indian  chief.  His  head  was  large,  and 
thickly  covered  with  a  silvery  mane  of  hair,  that  hung 
in  careless  profusion  around  his  smooth-shaven,  clearly- 
cut,  aquiline  features.  His  complexion  was  a  clear, 
pale  olive.  His  resolute  lips  were  shaded  by  a  long, 
drooping  mustache.  At  that  time  he  was  the  object  of 
great  attention,  on  account  of  his  personal  antagonism 
to  the  President.  Once  intimate  friends,  and  still  mem- 
bers of  the  same  party,  they  were  now  deadly  enemies, 
engaged  in  a  political  war  as  relentless  in  character 
as  the  fiercest  of  religious  conflicts. 


62  A   MAN   AND    HIS   SOUL. 

The  Senator  touched  me  upon  the  shoulder,  as  I  was 
passing,  and  said :  "  Come  to  my  hotel,  when  you 
leave  here.  I  will  be  able  to  tell  you  something  to  in- 
terest you." 

"  I  have  a  friend  with  me,  Captain  Harcourt.  Per- 
mit me  to  present  him." 

"  You  can  bring  him  along.  It  will  make  no  differ- 
ence. The  Ambassador  of  Nolos,  who  probes  all  mys- 
teries, may  find  there  a  subject  worthy,  even,  of  his 
attention." 

Already  the  Senator  had  heard  of  my  friend,  and 
made  the  same  allusion  to  his  power  that  I  had  heard 
hinted  at  every  turn  a  few  moments  after  the  conver- 
sation with  Madame  Neville. 

The  invitation  of  the  Senator  gave  me  a  keen  sense 
of  surprise.  The  haughty  Senator  was  little  given  to 
taking  newspaper  correspondents  into  his  councils,  and 
his  invitation  meant  that  he  had  come  to  some  resolu- 
tion, and  was  now  ready  to  make  public  some  move  in 
the  game  he  was  playing  to  checkmate  the  power  of 
his  former  political  chief. 

As  we  turned  to  leave  the  house,  a  moment  after  the 
Senator's  departure,  Captain  Harcourt  said  :  "  I  thought 
you  would  need  me  this  evening,  and  that  is  the  reason 
I  asked  you  to  bring  me  along  with  you." 


$1 


CHAPTER  VII. 

A  REMARKABLE  SCENE  IN  SENATOR  NORTON'S  PRIVATE 
DRAWING-ROOM. 

It  was  past  midnight,  when  we  entered  the  long  suite 
of  rooms  occupied  by  the  Senator.  The  apartment  of 
six  rooms  was  ablaze  with  light,  and  the  communicating 
doors  were  thrown  open.  The  Senator  had  a  love  for 
splendid  theatrical  effects,  and  he  nearly  always  re- 
hearsed every  scene  in  his  public  career,  after  the  fash- 
ion of  a  great  actor.  Indeed,  I  have  learned  to  look 
upon  successful  public  men  as  finished  actors,  possess- 
ing qualities  which  would  have  won  for  them  success 
upon  the  theatrical  stage  as  high  as  that  reached  by 
them  in  the  forum  of  politics. 

Every  senator  and  member  has  at  his  disposal  the 
floral  treasures  of  the  Government  Botanical  Garden. 
The  Senator  had  availed  himself  of  this  privilege  in  the 
adornment  of  his  drawing-room.  Potted  plants  in  the 
corners  made  a  rich  contrast  to  the  blaze  of  color 
found  in  the  huge  baskets  of  flowers,  scattered  about 
the  room  in  reckless  profusion.  The  room  might  have 
been  the  reception  room  of  a  successful  prima  donna, 
after  an  evening  of  triumph,  rather  than  that  of  a  pub- 
lic man,  engaged  in  the  grim  war  of  politics. 

After  all,  politics,  as  played  upon  national  boards,  is 
a  stupendous  game,  in  which  I  have  always  taken  a  pas- 


64  A   MAN   AND    HIS   SOUL. 

sionate  interest.  Politics  is  the  science  of  human 
government,  and,  in  its  fierce  contests,  intellectual 
gladiators  are  developed,  who  take  rank  with  the  suc- 
cessful heroes  of  war. 

So  it  was  with  more  than  ordinary  interest  that  I  en- 
tered the  Senator's  private  quarters.  It  was  not  the 
first  time  that  I  had  been  treated  to  such  a  careful  dra- 
matic presentation  as  a  preliminary  to  some  public 
demonstration.  Senator  Norton,  like  many  men  of  im- 
perious nature  in  public  life,  had  no  use  for  newspapers, 
except  as  mediums  to  reach  swiftly,  upon  rare  occasions, 
a  special  public.  For  all  other  purposes  he  would  have 
confined  the  newspaper  press  to  the  barest  statements 
of  the  facts  of  current  history,  condensed  to  the  briefest 
space,  so  as  to  give  room  for  the  verbatim  reports  of 
the  debates  of  Congress.  He  was  not  rich,  but  he  was 
a  lawyer  of  high  rank,  and  his  prominence  in  the  Senate 
gave  him  occupation  for  all  of  his  leisure  in  the 
Supreme  Court,  so  that  he  had  a  large  income,  which 
hardly  kept  pace  with  his  extravagance.  He  had 
always  with  him  a  crowd  of  familiars,  who  echoed  his 
very  sentiments,  and  gave  to  him  the  adulation  his  na- 
ture craved  for  every  waking  moment.  He  had  but 
few  friends,  in  the  ordinary  sense  of  the  word.  His 
sense  of  honor  was  excessive,  and  his  loyalty  to  those 
who  followed  him  very  great.  He  divided  the  world 
into  two  classes  :  those  who  adhered  to  him,  and 
those  who  opposed  him.  For  the  former,  he  was 
always  willing  to  work  ;  for  the  latter,  he  was  untiring 
in  his  ferocious  energy  to  destroy.  It  was  not 
enough   for   him  to   defeat  an  enemy.     It  was  neces- 


A    -MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  65 

sary  for  his  complete  satisfaction  to  absolutely  anni- 
hilate him. 

So,  with  a  fighter  of  this  character,  then  engaged  in  a 
personal  war  with  the  President,  any  move  upon  his 
part  was  certain  to   make  a  great  sensation   with  the 

public. 

We  were  invited  to  take  seats  in  great  leathern 
chairs,  placed  near  the  center  of  the  room.  The  col- 
ored servant,  who  had  ushered  us  in,  promptly  retired, 
shaking  with  fear,  anxious  to  escape  the  atmosphere  of 
tragedy,  made  evident  by  the  Senator's  solemn  manner. 

The  Senator  was  very  much  excited,  although  under 
his  usual  self-control. 

He  paced  up  and  down  throughout  the  room,  be- 
ginning to  speak  in  a  low  tone,  which,  gradually,  in- 
creased in  volume,  until  his  voice  resounded  throughout 
the  drawing-room,  as  if  he  were  delivering  an  oration  in 
the  Senate  chamber.  Indeed,  this  notable  Senator  very 
often  combined  as  much  stage  effect,  as  complete  a 
dramatic  pose,  and  as  much  oratory  upon  a  private 
audience  as  upon  a  public  one.  He  was  always  at  his 
best  in  a  personal  controversy;  when  rehearsing  a 
personal  grievance,  his  vocabulary  was  wide,  ornate 
and  varied  in  its  tremendous  reach  of  differing 
phrases  of  sneering  savagery  and  contempt.  As  he 
marched  up  and  down,  he  did  not  make,  at  first,  any 
direct  explanation  of  his  invitation.  He  seemed  to  take 
it  for  granted  that  I  understood  his  ways  and  methods 
well  enough,  and  that,  before  the  visit  would  be  finished, 
there  could  be  no  possibility  of  a  misconstruction  of 
what   he  wished  to  be  done.     He  began  with  a  formal 


66  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

parade  of  the  character  and  history  of  the  great  party 
to  which  he  belonged.  In  it  had  been  bred  chieftains, 
who  had  fought  for  principles,  and  who  had,  by  the  de- 
velopment of  great  powers,  won  a  place  of  lasting  re- 
gard with  the  public.  But,  as  the  history  of  the  party 
proceeded,  the  Senator  swiftly  passed  to  what  he 
called  its  "  latter  day  phases  " — the  day  when  principles 
were  forgotten,  and  personal  ambitions  were  the  only 
issues.  We  were  then  treated  to  a  chapter  of  ethics,  in 
which  gratitude  was  defined  as  an  extinct  virtue,  and 
loyalty  and  truth  eliminated  from  the  game  of  politics. 
He  did  not  remain  long  in  the  field  of  generalities.  He 
now  passed,  rapidly,  along  to  a  sketch  of  his  past  rela- 
tions with  the  President  of  the  United  States.  The 
President  had  formerly  been  one  of  his  lieutenants. 
For  a  long  time  he  had  been  only  too  glad  to  take 
orders  from  the  Senator,  who  had  heaped  upon  his 
head  countless  favors,  in  return  for  services  rendered. 
By  a  strange  chapter  of  incidents,  which  the  Senator 
was  pleased  to  call  the  "accidental  jugglery  of  events," 
this  "  man "  had  been  promoted,  with  lightning-like 
rapidity,  from  relative  obscurity  to  the  highest  position 
of  power  in  our  world  of  politics.  The  Senator,  now, 
walking  with  a  slower  stride,  and  speaking  with  a  graver 
accent  of  satire,  said  : 

"  Nature  has  created  but  few  types  capable  of  bear- 
ing with  equanimity  a  too  sudden  and  overwhelming 
prosperity.  Even  the  strongest  are  taxed  in  their 
effort  to  remain  upon  the  same  plane  of  thought  con- 
cerning themselves.  The  dangerous  intoxication  of 
vanity  threatens  every  man  who  has  been   moved   sud- 


A    MAN   AND    HIS   SOUL.  6? 

denly  up  to  an  unexpected  position  of  power.  It  is  so 
easy  for  one  to  believe  that  he  is  a  man  of  destiny,  and 
that  a  fate,  gifted  with  a  divine  intelligence — and  not 
a  cruel  and  brutal  accident — has  marked  him  for  such 
advancement.  The  'feather-head'  in  politics,"  said  the 
Senator,  coining  a  phrase,  "mounts  with  the  ease  and 
lack  of  thought  of  the  thistle-down,  and,  at  a  dazzling 
height,  forgets  all  past  alliances,  all  previous  friend- 
ships, all  prior  obligations  of  duty  and  loyalty,  and  be- 
comes the  creature  of  his  own  stupendous  fancies,  and 
imagines  that  his  personality,  which,  to  him,  has  now 
become  sacred,  can  make  a  law  unto  itself  for  every 
future  relation  in  life.  The  smaller  the  man,  the  more 
complete  the  desire  to  annihilate  all  memory  of  the 
prior  causes  which  elevated  him  so  high.  The  small 
man,  in  high  place,  can  afford  to  have  no  friends.  He 
must  be  free  from  every  human  influence.  If  he  should 
permit  himself  an  alliance  with  any  one  about  him,  if  he 
should  allow  the  influence  of  some  past  friend  to  con- 
trol him,  he  would  lose  in  his  own  estimation.  Then 
those  who  persist  still  in  believing  the  mere  change  of 
residence  from  private  station  to  an  official  one  cannot, 
by  such  transposition  alone,  enlarge  the  faculties  of 
the  person  so  transposed,  might  venture  to  suggest 
that  this  person,  or — if  you  please — this  uplifted 
potentate,  is,  after  all,  an  ordinary  man,  and  in  the 
leading  strings  of  men  who  made  him."  As  the 
Senator  finished  this  thought,  he  closed,  in  a  mock, 
chanting  voice,  as  he  said :  "  Here  endeth  the  first 
lesson." 

This  discourse   had   run    on  for,  at  least,  two  hours. 


68  A    MAN   AND    HIS   SOUL. 

Its  conclusion  was  sharp,  and  was  the  climax  of  the 
skillful  presentation  of  the  story  which  the  Senator 
had  given  me  to  be  used  as  the  basis  for  an  article, 
which  would  give,  in  concrete  shape,  his  first  open  and 
direct  attack  upon  the  President  himself. 

With  what  emotion  did  I  listen  to  this  last  and  con- 
cluding chapter  in  his  discourse !  How  little  the 
Senator  knew  of  my  personal  relations.  I  should  have 
been  the  last  person  to  be  selected  as  his  confidant. 
The  story  which  he  told  concerned  the  honor  of  one  of  my 
personal  friends,  a  member  of  the  Cabinet  at  that  time. 
He  was  a  manly,  upright  man,  as  I  knew  him,  devoted 
to  his  work,  and  possessing  a  reputation  of  unimpeach- 
able integrity.  In  rank,  he  was  nearly  the  first  in  the 
President's  Cabinet.  He  was,  himself,  a  good  fighter, 
and  had  directed  many  a  skillfully-devised  attack  upon 
Senator  Norton,  and  it  was  with  an  air  of  aggressive 
triumph  that  the  Senator  flaunted,  over  the  center-table 
near  me,  the  documents  and  pieces  of  evidence  going 
to  show  a  clear  and  positive  case  of  bribery  of  the 
Cabinet  officer  in  question.  Certain  official  favors  in  his 
department  had  been  sold  for  money,  and  that  money 
had  been  traced  directly  home  to  him.  The  Senator 
proposed  to  move  with  great  rapidity  and  decision  in 
exposing  the  infamous  character  of  the  transaction. 
Himself  a  man  of  high  honor,  he  never  would  have 
stooped  to  use  a  foul  weapon  in  fighting  an  enemy  ; 
but,  with  legitimate  weapons,  no  one  could  be  more  un- 
sparing than  he.  What  he  proposed  to  me,  indirectly, 
through  this  exposition,  was,  that  I  should  publish  the 
facts  of  these  charges,  to  be  supported  by  the  evidence, 


A    MAX    AND    HIS   SOUL.  69 

which  was  to  remain  in  the  Senator's  hands.  Then 
one  of  his  political  lieutenants  in  the  House  was  to 
move  an  inquiry,  which  would  be  promptly  followed 
by  the  presentation  of  articles  of  impeachment. 

In  spite  of  the  evidence,  I  believed  that  there  was 
some  horrible  mistake.  I  could  not  believe  that  my 
friend  could  have  failed  in  any  essential  requisite  to 
an  honest  man.  He  had  too  much  intelligence  to  be 
involved  in  such  a  vulgar  intrigue  for  place.  I  more 
than  suspected  that  the  guilt,  which  was  so  apparent 
in  the  documents,  would  be  traced  to  some  one  else — 
however,  so  near  to  him  as  to  involve  him,  in  spite  of 
his  innocence.  I  knew  his  wife  to  be  so  ambitious  of 
social  position  as  to  be  absolutely  reckless  in  reaching 
for  the  object  of  her  desires.  She  was  a  handsome 
brunette,  of  a  vigorous,  physical  type ;  a  woman  of 
eager  appetites,  and  possessing  a  keen  desire  to  shine 
and  lead.  'Her  husband's  modest  fortune  must  have 
been  insufficient  to  satisfy  her  requirements,  and  I  had 
noticed,  within  the  last  year,  associated  with  her,  from 
time  to  time,  the  oily  and  diplomatic  stars  of  political 
intrigue,  the  aristocratic  purveyors  of  position.  Their 
contiguity  and  assiduity  had  led  me  to  think  that  she  was 
in  danger  of  selling  her  fair  name  and  the  honorable 
position  of  her  husband  in  her  reckless  desire  to  have 
money.  There  is,  at  the  elbow  of  every  person  of  power 
in  Washington,  a  kind,  adroit,  complacent  individual, 
who  is  only  too  happy  to  assist  financially  those  who  can, 
at  the  proper  time,  give  him  in  exchange  something 
which  influence  can  readily  give  ;  but  such  creditors  are 
dangerous — for  every  loan  advanced  they  demand  the 


yo  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

pound  of  flesh.  And  so,  in  this  story,  which  lay  bare 
before  me,  I  fancied  I  saw  the  true  sequel  of  the  chapter 
in  official  life  that  I  had  noted  since  my  return. 

I,  for  one,  am  no  half-way  friend.  To  all  practical 
purposes,  my  friend  is  myself.  This  stab  at  the  repu- 
tation of  a  friend  came  home  to  me  like  a  hand  at  my 
throat.  The  Senator  was  a  man  who  could  not  be 
easily  deceived.  The  slightest  hesitation  on  my  part 
would  have  made  me  an  object  of  suspicion,  and  the 
story  which  had  been  offered  me  would,  assuredly, 
be  placed  in  the  hands  of  some  other  correspondent, 
who  would  have  no  personal  reasons  for  withholding 
such  a  sensation.  It  might  be  asked  here,  if  I  was 
truly  serving  my  newspaper  in  desiring,  in  my  heart 
of  hearts,  to  suppress  such  a  story  as  that.  The  only 
rule  in  a  case  of  this  kind  is  a  man's  own  conscience.  I 
have  always  believed  that  a  correspondent  is  more 
honestly  serving  the  true  interests  of  his  paper  by  sup- 
pressing personal  scandals  than  by  publishing  them. 

I  sought  to  gain  time,  by  asking  the  Senator  to  per- 
mit me  to  investigate  the  character  of  the  story  fully 
and  completely,  before  taking  up  the  question  of  publi- 
cation. This  made  him  impatient ;  but,  with  an  air  of 
a  monarch,  who  yields,  benevolently,  a  request  pre- 
ferred by  a  subject,  consented  to  give  me  forty-eight 
hours.  "  In  case  of  your  failure,  I  will  have  the  whole 
facts  recited  in  a  resolution,  to  be  presented  in  the 
House,  as  the  basis  of  a  request  for  an  official  investi- 
gation into  the  conduct  of  this  man."  The  Senator 
instinctively  felt  that  there  was  a  shadow  of  antagonism 
in  my  attitude. 


A    .MAX    AND    HIS   SOUL.  J I 

Up  to  this  time,  he  had  paid  no  attention  to  Captain 
Harcourt,  who  had  remained  silent  and  observant,  fol- 
lowing, with  a  curious  and  quiet  attention,  the  involved 
and  spectacular  oratorical  display  of  the  Senator. 
Something  in  his  manner  roused  the  latter  as  a  chal- 
lenge. Turning  to  him,  he  said,  sarcastically  :  "  What 
does  the  Ambassador  from  the  Island  of  Nolos  think 
of  my  programme  of  retaliation  ?  " 

It  was  such  a  condescension  for  the  Senator  to  ask 
any  one's  opinion  concerning  any  course  once  deter- 
mined upon  by  him,  that  such  a  question  came  to  me 
as  a  surprise.  The  diversion  gave  me  an  opportunity 
to  collect  my  wits.  The  Captain  met  the  Senator's 
question  by  saying,  very  simply  and  very  directly : 

"  My  dear  sir,  I  would  not  have  thought  of  volun- 
teering my  opinion  ;  but  you  have  asked  it,  and  I  will 
give  it.     I  do  not  approve  of  your  line  of  action." 

There  was  such  a  gentleness  and  such  a  sincerity  in 
the  Captain's  attitude,  as  he  said  this,  that  the  Senator, 
morbidly  sensitive  to  anything  approaching  criticism, 
was  not  even  offended. 

He  paused  in  his  walk,  and  came  over  and  took  a 
seat  in  front  of  us.  Lighting  a  huge,  black  cigar,  he 
said,  after  the  first  puff  of  blue  smoke  :  "  I  am  curious 
to  hear  the  reasons  for  your  disapproval."  The  Sen- 
ator's manner  had  completely  changed.  He  was  now 
quiet  and  self-contained.  There  was  an  alert  look  of 
inquiry,  however,  in  his  eyes,  which  foreshadowed  a 
storm  of  irritability,  should  the  Captain  fail  in  tact  and 
diplomacy  in  the  wording  of  his  reply. 

Captain  Harcourt  looked,  with  that  unmoved  expres- 


72  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

sion  of  tranquility  habitual  to  his  face,  at  the  Senator, 
as  he  said :  "  Pardon  me,  if  I  speak  plainly.  Such  a 
contest  is  not  worthy  of  your  high  talents  and  attain- 
ments. Such  a  weapon  is  beneath  the  dignity  of  your 
real  character." 

The  Senator's  face  flushed  deeply,  and  then  turned  a 
stony  white,  as,  with  great  deliberation,  he  said,  with  icy 
politeness : 

"  I  have  asked  for  your  opinion,  and  I  thank  you 
for  your  free  expression  of  it."  He  then  arose,  and 
dismissed  us,  with  almost  royal  curtness,  adding  to  me, 
as  I  turned  to  go :  "I  shall  expect  to  see  you  here 
to-morrow  at  twelve  o'clock,  and  your  decision  con- 
cerning the  publication  must  be  made  within  the  forty- 
eight  hours." 

The  gray,  icy  dawn  of  a  cold,  sleety  morning  whipped 
us  in  the  face,  as  we  left  the  Senator's  hotel,  and 
walked  across  the  snow-covered  square  to  our  own 
hotel.  I  was  worn  with  excitement.  My  friend,  the 
Captain,  showed  no  sign  of  weariness,  and  when  he 
bade  me  good  morning,  at  the  door  of  his  room,  I 
heard  him  give  orders  for  his  bath  and  breakfast,  as  if 
he  had  no  idea  of  going  to  bed  at  all. 


73 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

A     STUDY    OF    THE    DISTANT    ISLAND    OF    NOLOS,     AS 

VIEWED    IN   THE    DARK    SURFACE   OF   AN 

EGYPTIAN   MIRROR. 

After  taking  a  few  hours'  sleep,  I  went  to  Captain 
Harcourt's  room  to  consult  with  him — to  ask  his  advice 
as  to  the  best  course  to  be  pursued.  I  was  never  more 
impressed  with  his  ability  to  see  clearly  the  best  thing 
to  be  done.  I  found  him  waiting  for  me.  He  was 
seated  before  a  table,  in  the  small  sitting-room  of  his 
private  apartment.  Upon  the  table,  before  him,  lay  a 
large,  black,  Egyptian  mirror,  set  in  a  heavy  silver 
frame.  A  dark  screen  was  placed  at  each  side  of  the 
mirror,  for  the  purpose  of  guarding  its  surface  from 
the  rays  of  any  reflected  light.  As  I  entered,  the 
Captain  signaled  to  me  with  his  left  hand  to  be  seated 
near  him.  He  was  looking,  intently,  into  the  mirror, 
and  appeared  to  be  very  much  occupied. 

After  several  moments  of  silence,  he  turned  towards 
me,  and  said  :  "  Now  I  am  ready  for  you.  I  was  oc- 
cupied, for  the  moment,  when  you  came  in,  in  talking 
with  Doctor  Longman." 

"  In  talking  with  Doctor  Longman  ?  I  do  not  under- 
stand you." 

"  You  are  not  familiar,  then,  with  the  ancient  art  of 
crystal  gazing?  " 


74  A   MAN  AND   HIS   SOUL. 

I  shook  my  head. 

The  Captain  said  :  "  By  the  aid  of  this  dark  mirror  I 
am  able  to  see  Doctor  Longman  when  I  please.  At  a 
given  hour  in  the  day,  he  goes  to  his  laboratory  and 
seats  himself  in  front  of  his  mirror.  We,  both,  see  each 
other  in  these  mirrors  at  the  same  point  of  time, 
and,  through  a  well-established  code  of  signs,  can  carry 
on  as  intimate  a  conversation  as  if  we  were  actually 
together  in  the  same  room.  You  need  not  look  in- 
credulous. This  ability  to  see  such  visions  in  a  mirror 
of  this  kind,  or  in  a  clear  crystal,  is  quite  common.  You 
may  have  the  ability  yourself.  Take  my  place  here  at 
the  table,  and  look  into  this  mirror  quietly,  without 
excitement,  and  see  if  you  cannot  make  out  some- 
thing. Wait  a  moment ;  I  will  tell  the  doctor  to  wait 
for  you — that  you  are  going  to  try  and  place  yourself 
in  communication  with  him.  I  know  you  are  in  a  great 
hurry  to  be  going  upon  the  business  of  your  friend,  the 
Cabinet  officer.  But  you  will  find  that  there  is  no 
need  of  haste,  and  that  you  may  receive,  here,  in  this 
room,  the  assistance  necessary  to  counteract  the  evil 
effect  of  this  possible  scandal." 

I  now  took  the  Captain's  seat.  The  perfect  simplic- 
ity and  sincerity  of  his  manner  had  so  impressed  me 
that  it  seemed  the  most  natural  thing  in  the  world  to 
sit  down  before  this  mirror  and  try  to  find,  in  its 
depths,  the  interior  of  a  laboratory  upon  the  Island  of 
Nolos,  on  the  other  side  of  the  world.  I  looked,  tran- 
quilly, upon  the  black  surface  of  the  mirror  for  several 
moments,  without  perceiving  anything.  I  was  about  to 
speak,  when  a  gray  shadow  began  to  steal  across  it  like 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  75 

a  mist.  The  gray  shaded  into  a  steely  blue,  and  then 
faded  again.  The  shadows  now  came  with  great  rapid- 
ity, with  increasing  shades  of  density.  Suddenly,  out 
of  the  mist,  there  burst  a  clear,  dazzling  light,  in  which 
danced  the  colors  of  a  prism.  This  kaleidoscopic  effect 
endured  but  a  few  seconds ;  then  the  mirror  cleared, 
and  assumed  a  depth  of  perspective,  which  made  me 
lean  forward,  with  great  eagerness,  close  over  its  sur- 
face. I,  now,  saw  distinctly,  as  through  the  lens  of 
a  powerful  telescope,  the  interior  of  a  room,  which, 
from  its  furniture  and  its  surroundings,  was,  clearly,  a 
laboratory. 

In  the  center  of  this  room  I  saw  a  distinguished- 
looking  man.  He  looked  directly  at  me,  and  he  seemed 
so  near  that  I  could  not  prevent  myself  from  attempting 
to  address  him,  as  if  I  were,  actually,  in  his  presence. 
The  occupant  of  the  laboratory  was  an  old  man. 
His  hair  was  thick  and  white,  falling,  in  great  masses, 
upon  each  side  of  his  large,  powerful  head.  His  face 
was  broad,  pure  and  clean  in  its  lines.  It  was  devoid 
of  mustache  or  beard.  The  features  were  fine,  and 
regular  as  those  of  a  cameo.  Over  all  there  was  an 
expression  of  tranquility  and  power  that  attracted  with 
the  force  of  a  magnet.  The  high  character,  the  great 
ability  and  the  gentle  spirit  were  so  clearly  manifest, 
as  to  mark  him  as  an  unusual  character,  although  then 
known  only  in  the  distant  East  as  a  recluse,  who  spent 
the  greater  part  of  his  time  in  his  laboratory,  on  the 
Island  of  Nolos. 

He  smiled  upon  me  with  such  benevolence  that  I 
felt,  at  once,  the  strongest  desire  to  be  placed  in  com- 


y6  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

munication  with  him — to  exchange  more  than  the 
greetings  of  a  glance.  Here  was  a  higher  authority 
than  any  I  had  ever  known.  It  was  no  wonder,  now, 
to  me,  that  Captain  Harcourt  had  found,  in  his  com- 
pany and  teachings,  such  wisdom.  In  his  companion- 
ship he  had  acquired  the  tranquility,  and  the  repose, 
which  had  made  him  so  prominent  a  figure  in  the  rest- 
less society  of  Washington,  at  the  very  moment  of  his 
appearance  in  it.  Without  turning,  for  fear  the  vision 
would  fade,  I  said  to  Captain  Harcourt :  "  I  really  do 
see  the  laboratory  in  the  Island  of  Nolos,  and  Doctor 
Longman,  as  you  have  often  described  him  to  me.  I 
wish  that  I  had  your  knowledge  of  communicating 
with  him,  so  that  I  could  ask  him  a  few  questions.  I 
never  have  seen  any  one  who  gives  me  such  a  feeling  of 
confidence  in  his  wisdom  and  in  his  power." 

Captain  Harcourt,  in  reply  to  this,  said  :  "  You  can 
be  easily  taught,  and  you  will  be  surprised  to  find  how 
natural  and  simple  it  all  is.  The  superiority  and  the 
strength  of  Doctor  Longman  come  from  his  elevation 
of  spirit.  He  is  more  closely  allied  to  his  soul  than 
any  one  I  know.  He  has  risen  nearer  the  heights  oc- 
cupied by  his  soul  than  any  Occultist  of  modern  times. 
It  is  through  his  exalted  station,  that  he  now  takes  in 
the  whole  world  in  his  range  of  vision,  and  he  is  now 
seated,  steadily  working  to  do  his  part  in  raising  up  the 
mass  of  humanity  to  the  standard  occupied  by  himself 
and  his  associates.  You  will  find  that  the  place  to 
begin  any  work  of  this  kind  is  in  the  capital  of  the 
country  sought  to  be  influenced.  In  the  capitals  of 
the  world,  politics  is  the  most  dominant  and  power- 


A   MAX   AND   HIS   SOUL.  J1/ 

ful  force.  You  find  yourself,  at  this  particular  mo- 
ment, under  the  shadow  of  a  violent  political  intrigue, 
the  object  of  which  is  to  gratify  a  feeling  of  revenge, 
and  to  produce  pain  and  humiliation  to  others.  The 
politics  of  this  country,  to-day,  is  controlled  by  such 
feelings.  The  high  power  and  influence  of  leaders  is 
perverted  to  gratify  selfish  and  improper  ends.  Take 
the  case  of  Senator  Norton,  whom  we  saw  last  night. 
Here  is  a  man  with  great  gifts  and  the  power  to  im- 
press and  to  lead  others,  rarely  given  to  any  one  indi- 
vidual. The  intellectual  gifts  and  the  personal  charms 
of  such  a  man  should  carry  him  a  great  way  in  influ- 
encing the  character  of  a  nation.  But,  to-day,  his 
entire  talent  and  power  are  diverted  to  personal 
objects.  His  entire  contention  with  the  President  re- 
lates to  an  office.  The  whole  controversy  relates  to  a 
favor  desired,  and  a  favor  refused.  American  politics, 
from  the  beginning  to  the  end,  is,  to-day,  a  chase  after 
place,  and  the  leaders  are  those  who  can  capture  and 
control  the  most  places.  The  finest  abilities  and  the 
highest  characters  soon  become  dwarfed  in  a  contest 
for  such  ignoble  objects.  In  the  history  of  this 
country,  there  have  been  a  few  great  periods.  During 
the  late  Civil  War,  for  a  time,  these  personal  objects  of 
petty  intrigue  were  driven  aside  by  the  great  question 
of  the  salvation  of  the  country  itself.  In  the  atmos- 
phere of  that  time,  great  sacrifices  were  made,  and 
the  leaders,  then,  were  conspicuous  by  their  mag- 
nificent self-denial.  There  never  was  a  period  of 
history  in  this  country  when  we  had  greater  examples 
of    the    forgetfulness   of    self.     Such    an    atmosphere 


?$  A   MAN   AND    HIS   SOUL. 

bred  great  men — men  whose  name^  will  go  down  to 
undying  history.  Now,  I  believe  that  the  world  can 
be  stimulated  to  as  high  deeds,  and  to  as  great  develop- 
ments, in  times  of  peace,  as  was  brought  forth  by  the 
cruel  stimulus  of  a  war,  or  of  a  revolution." 

Captain  Harcourt  now  stood  up.  Then  he  changed 
the  subject,  abruptly,  as  he  said  :  "  Kindly  say  farewell, 
for  the  moment,  to  the  Island  of  Nolos."  I,  involun- 
tarily, bowed  to  the  vision  in  the  mirror,  and,  to  my  sur- 
prise, the  figure  responded,  with  gravity,  and  with  a 
smile,  which  seemed  to  say  :  "  To  our  better  acquaint- 
ance." In  an  instant,  the  mirror  was  as  black  as  night, 
and  the  vision  had  disappeared. 

I  now  turned  to  Captain  Harcourt,  and  said :  "  I 
wish  to  talk  with  you  about  a  plan  of  action.  I  have 
forty-eight  hours  to  decide  about  this  publication.  To 
a  certain  extent,  the  communication  made  to  us  by  the 
Senator  was  a  confidential  one,  although  he  intends  to 
take  public  action.  Until  such  action  is  taken,  I  am, 
to  a  certain  extent,  bound.  I  do  not  feel  that  I  have 
a  right  to  go  to  my  friend  and  tell  him  what  is  hanging 
over  him.  In  the  first  place,  if  I  can  avoid  this  publi- 
cation, and  persuade  Senator  Norton  to  take  up  some 
other  course,  I  am  certain  that  a  serious  tragedy  will 
be  avoided.  My  friend  is  passionate,  high-spirited, 
and  if  what  I  see  in  those  papers  proves  to  be  true, 
his  family  will  be  broken  up,  and  his  public  career 
ended  in  disgrace.  Such  a  calamity  would  mean  much 
more  to  him  than  death  by  torture.  Now,  what  would 
you  advise  ?" 

"  You  will  remember  that  I  once  said  to  you  that,  in 


A    MAX    AND    HIS    SOUL.  79 

the  Island  of  Nolos,  we  were  first  taught  to  see  things 
as  they  are,  and  then  as  they  should  be.  We  will  see 
how  this  principle  can  be  applied  to  this  particular 
intrigue,  which  is  illustrative  of  the  character  of  this 
modern  development  in  American  politics.  Let  us  see 
if  we  cannot  save  two  men  from  the  effects  of  an  in- 
famous act,  for  it  is  clearly  demonstrable  that  Senator 
Norton  will  be  the  one  upon  whom  the  weight  of  mis- 
fortune will  really  fall,  rather  than  upon  his  victim. 
This  is  really  the  law  of  every  unworthy  revenge.  I 
have  two  suggestions  to  make  to  you.  One  is  to  first 
go  to  General  Starr,  who,  you  know,  is  an  intimate 
friend  of  Senator  Norton's  and  an  associate  senator. 
He  is  also  a  friend  of  the  President's.  I  should  tell 
him,  frankly,  the  whole  story,  and  follow  his  advice. 
When  you  return  here  this  evening,  we  will  sit  down 
with  our  mirror,  and  we  will  be  able  to  watch  the 
movements  of  the  leaders  in  this  ignoble  fight.  That 
will  give  you  a  certain  advantage.  I  cannot  now 
promise  that  we  will  succeed  absolutely  in  thwarting 
Senator  Norton  in  his  plans.  His  imperious  nature  is 
subject  to  but  few  influences,  owing  to  his  hardened 
armor  of  self-esteem.  It  may  be  that  he  will  be  per- 
mitted to  go  ahead  and  do  his  worst.  The  tragedies 
of  life  are  common." 

To  this  I  now  said  :  "  If  I  fail  with  General  Starr,  I 
shall  stand  upon  no  small  scruples  of  conscience  con- 
cerning the  seal  of  confidence  indirectly  placed  upon 
me  by  Senator  Norton.  My  friend's  life  is  threatened 
as  seriously  as  if  an  assassin  had  already  raised  his 
knife  to  plunge  it  in  his  heart.      I  will  first  see  General 


80  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

Starr,  and,  if  necessary,  go  to  the  President  and  to  my 
friend." 

With  this,  I  rushed  from  the  room,  promising  to  re- 
turn in  the  evening  to  make  a  report  of  the  result  of 
my  afternoon's  work. 


8i 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE     FIGHT     BETWEEN    SENATOR     NORTON     AND    THE 
PRESIDENT   OUTLINED. 

As  I  left  Captain  Harcourt's  rooms  and  passed 
through  the  hotel  office  below,  on  my  way  to  keep 
my  appointment  with  Senator  Norton,  I  met  a 
messenger,  who  handed  me  a  note,  in  which  I  was  in- 
formed that  the  Senator  would  see  me  late  that  even- 
ing, as  he  had  been  obliged  to  go  to  the  Supreme 
Court,  upon  a  matter  of  urgent  importance. 

This  note  pleased  me.  At  least,  that  much  time 
was  saved.  I  now  proceeded  at  once  to  the  Capitol 
building  to  find  General  Starr.  I  knew  I  would  either 
find  him  in  his  committee-room,  or  in  the  Senate 
chamber,  as  he  never  was  absent,  without  serious 
reasons,  from  the  Capitol  after  twelve  o'clock,  the  hour 
of  the  beginning  of  the  regular  sessions.  General  Starr 
represented  one  of  the  great  Western  States  in  the 
Senate.  No  member  of  that  powerful  body  was  more 
respected  than  he.  He  had  held  public  posts  nearly  all 
his  life,  by  which  he  could  have  easily  made  himself 
rich  ;  but  no  dishonest  dollar  had  ever  stained  his  gen- 
erous hands.  His  poverty,  his  honesty,  his  straight- 
forward ways,  and  his  blunt  speech  made  him  one  of 
the  most  conspicuous  men  of  his  time. 

He  was  one  of  the  most  daring  and   reckless   of  the 


82  A   MAN   AND    HIS   SOUL. 

soldiers  of  the  Civil  War.  He  rose  to  high  rank,  and 
every  step  of  his  advancement  was  earned  by  some 
special  deed  of  valor.  He  was  a  natural-born  soldier, 
and,  when  brought  into  fierce  competition  with  the 
trained  soldiers  of  West  Point,  was  ranked  as  the 
equal  of  the  best,  and  came  out  of  the  contest  one  of 
the  volunteer  heroes  of  the  time.  I  found  him  in  his 
committee-room,  seated  at  the  end  of  a  long  table,  dic- 
tating letters  to  a  stenographer.  Upon  his  right  and 
left  were  masses  of  private  correspondence,  the  accu- 
mulation of  numerous  petitions  for  place  and  official 
favors.  As  a  former  soldier  of  distinction,  he  was 
looked  to  by  the  veterans,  throughout  the  country,  as 
their  personal  agent,  to  whom  they  could  freely  apply 
for  any  information  concerning  their  claims  for  pen- 
sions. The  amount  of  business,  for  which  the  Senator 
could  receive  no  pay,  would  have  staggered  a  first- 
class  lawyer's  office  in  the  City  of  New  York.  Yet,  he 
went,  two  hours  every  day,  patiently  through  drudgery 
of  this  kind,  before  making  his  appearance  in  the 
Senate  chamber  to  attend  to  his  public  duties. 

He  turned,  with  impatience,  at  being  interrupted  in 
his  work,  as  he  said,  with  his  usual  curt  directness : 
"You  must  have  something  important  to  talk  to  me 
about,  to  come  in  upon  me  at  this  hour." 

"  It  is  a  matter  of  importance,"  I  replied. 

"Can't  you  wait  until  this  evening  to  tell  me  about 
it?" 

"  If  it  were  a  matter  personal  to  myself,  I  should  say 
yes,  at  once  ;  but,  I  think,  you  should  know  first  the 
ground  facts,  which  can  be  quickly  told,  and  then  you, 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  83 

yourself,  shall  decide  whether  you  can  afford  to  give 
your  time  to  it  now." 

I  asked  the  Senator  to  take  me  into  the  inner  room 
of  his  quarters,  so  that  I  could  talk  to  him  alone.  He 
declined  to  move  from  his  seat.  He  said  :  "You  need 
not  mind  my  private  secretary  over  there.  He  never 
hears  anything  that  I  don't  want  him  to  hear,  and  if  he 
should,  would  forget  it.  We  have  too  many  secrets 
told  here,  for  one,  or  more,  or  less,  to  make  any  special 
impression.  My  secretary  was  my  chief  staff-officer 
during  the  war,  and  he  is  my  second  self." 

Briefly,  then,  I  told  what  I  had  heard  from  Senator 
Norton,  the  night  before.  The  General  puffed,  leisurely, 
at  a  black  cigar  while  I  talked.  He  made  no  comment, 
and  betrayed  not  the  slightest  shadow  of  excitement. 
When  I  had  finished,  he  said  :  "  It  is  an  affair  that  can 
wait.  If  you  like,  come  and  see  me  this  evening,  at 
my  house." 

I  was  stung  by  his  seeming  indifference.  I  knew 
him  to  be  a  devoted  and  loyal  friend.  His  relations 
with  the  threatened  Cabinet  officer  were  most  intimate, 
and  had  endured  through  a  number  of  years.  I  could 
not  understand  his  perfect  tranquility,  his  absence  of 
excitement,  and  his  apparent  amusement  at  my  agita- 
tion and  impatience. 

In  answer  to  some  of  my  remarks,  expressive  of  sur- 
prise at  his  attitude,  the  Senator  said :  "  You  cor- 
respondents, at  best,  are  mere  amateurs  in  politics. 
You  are  only  spectators.  You  never  descend  to  the 
arena  and  encounter  the  blows  of  an  actual  contest. 
You  are  only  too  ready  to  jump  to   hasty  conclusions, 


84  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

and,  not  having,  always,  abundant  sources  of  informa- 
tion, although  you  all  think  you  have,  you  are  too 
ready  to  form  judgments  concerning  the  motives  of 
others.  I  am  not  indifferent  to  what  you  have  told 
me  ;  but  what  is  the  use  of  getting  excited  about  it  ? 
I  have  no  time  to  waste  on  emotions  of  that  kind. 
Besides,  I  know  Senator  Norton  better  than  you  do. 
He  is  a  magnificent  artist,  in  his  way,  and  he  only  uses 
extreme  measures  when  necessary  to  carry  his  end. 
He  is  much  better  informed  than  you  in  everything 
that  relates  to  life  in  Washington.  It  is  on  account  of 
his  knowledge  of  your  relations  with  that  Cabinet 
officer  that  he  selected  you  as  his  confidant.  He  told 
you  the  story,  with  the  certainty  that  you  would  carry 
it  straight  to  the  Cabinet  officer  in  person,  or,  failing 
that,  to  the  President  himself.  It  is  a  mere  move  in  a 
game.  He  wants  to  make  the  President  back  down 
and  withdraw  the  man  that  he  has  nominated  for  Col- 
lector of  the  Port  in  his  State.  That  is  all  that  he 
wants  to  accomplish.  He  may,  possibly,  add  a  con- 
dition, that  one  of  his  own  particular  men  shall  be 
put  in  his  place.  Will  the  President  consent  ?  I  do 
not  know.  He,  himself,  is  a  very  obstinate  man,  and 
as  much  of  an  egotist  as  Norton.  Whether  your 
friend,  the  Cabinet  officer,  and  my  friend  as  well,  will 
get  smashed  in  the  affair,  will  depend  upon  the  kind 
of  management  we  employ.  I  should  advise  the  Presi- 
dent to  yield.  Norton  has  a  very  strong  hand,  and  he 
will  play  it  for  all  it  is  worth.  Although  you  may 
be  sure  that  he  is  more  anxious  than  you  to  avoid 
an  actual  publication." 


A    MAX    AND    HIS    SOUL.  S$ 

It  was  hard  for  me  to  emulate  the  Senator's  Oriental 
tranquility. 

••  What  shall  I  do,  meanwhile,  until  I  see  you  again  ?" 
said  I. 

The  Senator  smiled,  sarcastically.  "  If  you  are  very 
hard  up,"  said  he,  "  for  something  to  do,  you  might 
turn  in  and  go  to  work  on  some  of  these  letters."  He 
then  added,  at  my  look  of  consternation  at  this  prop- 
osition :  "  Why  do  you  want  to  make  such  an  infernal 
busybody  of  yourself  over  this  matter,  anyway  ?  It 
is  a  play,  in  which  you  can  take  no  conspicuous  part, 
without  doing  more  harm  than  good.  If  you  really 
wish  to  serve  your  friend,  obey  my  orders,  and,  for  the 
time  being,  go  on,  as  if  nothing  were  known  to  you. 
You  come  to  see  me  this  evening,  at  ten  o'clock. 
I  then  may  have  something  to  suggest  to  you. 
Above  all,  keep  away  from  Senator  Norton.  He  is, 
altogether,  too  adroit  for  you,  and  the  less  you  see  of 
him  the  better.  Let  him  think  what  he  pleases.  He 
has  given  you  forty-eight  hours  in  which  to  act,  and  he 
knows  that,  under  no  circumstances,  would  you  pub- 
lish those  documents.  He  will  wait,  with  great  tran- 
quility, for  the  counter-move  from  the  President." 

"  But  do  you  not  think  our  friend,  the  Secretary, 
should  know  ?  " 

The  Senator  now  turned  towards  his  private  secre- 
tary. "  I  have  given  you  ail  the  time  I  intend  to,  this 
morning.  I  have  outlined  a  plan  of  action  for  you. 
Try  and  follow  it.  Hold  your  tongue  ;  and,  if  you 
have  got  anything  else  in  the  world  to  do,  aside  from 
this  business,  attend  to  it." 


86  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

I  was  dismissed  in  a  brusque  and  friendly  fashion. 
After  leaving  the  Senator's  committee-room,  I  could 
not  refrain  from  going  up  into  the  Reporters'  Gallery 
of  the  Senate  to  see  if  Senator  Norton  was  in  his  seat. 
This  was  not  following  General  Starr's  advice  strictly ; 
but  I  had  never  served  in  the  army,  and  construed 
my  orders  with  the  liberality  of  a  man  of  imagination, 
stimulated  by  the  highly-developed  curiosity  of  my 
profession. 

Senator  Norton,  dressed  with  the  care,  precision  and 
elegance  which  marked  him  one  of  the  great  dandies  of 
the  Senate,  walked  down  the  center  aisle  of  th  e  cham 
ber,  as  I  sank  into  my  seat  in  the  gallery.  Apparently, 
he  saw  no  one.  He  took  his  seat,  and  began  opening 
letters,  which  lay  in  a  small  pile  in  front  of  him.  Some 
dull,  droning  debate,  upon  a  subject  of  a  routine 
character,  was  going  on.  The  galleries  were  nearly 
empty.  But  few  senators  were  in  the  chamber.  Sud- 
denly, the  doors  of  the  great  entrance  chamber  were 
thrown  open,  and  a  slight  figure  of  a  man,  of  medium 
height,  attired  in  a  close-fitting,  dark,  frock-coat  suit 
appeared  in  the  portals.  The  venerable  captain  of 
the  pages,  who  is  the  host  of  the  Senate  upon  the 
occasion  of  any  official  call,  darted  forward  to  re- 
ceive the  visitor,  who  carried,  under  his  right  arm,  a 
huge,  white,  square  envelope,  sealed  with  a  flare  of  red 
wax. 

The  gavel  of  the  presiding  officer  descended  with  a 
whack,  as  the  visitor  and  the  captain  of  the  pages  faced 
about  in  military  attitudes  of  attention.  The  visitor 
was  the   private    secretary    of    the    President    of   the 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  87 

United  States.  Standing  like  a  man  of  wood,  the 
private  secretary,  in  a  weak,  piping  voice,  said  :  "  Mr. 
President." 

The  Chair  replied  :  "  Mr.  Secretary." 

The  secretary  saluted,  and  said  :  "  Mr.  President,  I 
have  the  honor  to  submit  to  the  Senate,  from  the 
President  of  the  United  States,  a  message  in  writing." 

The  envelope  was  then  handed  to  the  chief  page, 
and  carried  by  him  to  the  presiding  officer,  the  private 
secretary  retiring  quickly  from  the  floor.  The  Chair- 
man of  the  Senate  tore  open  the  envelope,  and  dis- 
closed a  list  of  official  nominations  sent  in  by  the  Presi- 
dent for  that  day.  This  bulletin  of  official  favors  is 
one  of  the  events  of  the  day  in  the  Senate.  The  daily 
distribution  of  prizes  is  always  eagerly  scanned.  Some 
of  the  less  dignified  senators  crowded  up,  with  the  eager- 
ness of  school  boys,  about  the  chair  to  read,  over  his 
shoulders,  the  names  of  the  fortunate  selections.  Upon 
this  particular  occasion,  there  was  a  buzz  of  excite- 
ment, and  of  turning  of  heads  in  the  direction  of  Sena- 
tor Norton,  which  caused  the  head  of  that  haughty 
personage  to  rise  with  ready  suspicion,  foreseeing, 
instantly,  another  blow  at  his  power  and  position  from 
the  hands  of  the  President. 

It  was  only  too  true ;  the  President  had  not  been 
content  with  nominating  to  the  most  important  office 
in  the  Senator's  State  a  person  most  obnoxious  to  him, 
but  had  followed  up  this  by  sending  in,  upon  this  par- 
ticular day,  the  name  of  a  conspicuously  devoted 
enemy  of  Senator  Norton's  for  one  of  the  great 
European  missions. 


88  A    MAN   AND    HIS    SOUL. 

This  second  affront  made  a  great  sensation  ;  and,  in 
order  to  measure  the  full  weight  of  such  an  attack, 
one  must  fully  understand  the  character  and  nature  of 
the  body  known  as  the  Senate  of  the  United  States, 
in  its  actual  relations  with  the  President.  The  Senate 
is  one  of  the  most  conservative  bodies  in  the  world. 
The  term  of  office  in  that  body  is  longer  than  a  Presi- 
dential term.  A  senator  who  fulfills  his  duties  has  a 
better  opportunity  for  re-election  than  the  incumbent 
of  any  other  elective  office  in  our  country.  Many 
senators,  practically,  hold  life  positions,  being  elected, 
from  time  to  time,  without  opposition.  The  body  has 
the  compact  and  harmonious  feeling  of  a  great  family. 
Senators  differ  among  themselves  widely,  at  times; 
but,  upon  all  questions  relating  to  their  privileges,  the 
Senate  is  a  united  corporation.  It  is  unswerving  in  its 
upholding  of  the  traditions  of  the  past,  and  in  its  asser- 
tion of  its  own  independence  and  character.  This  is 
as  it  should  be.  The  Senate  is  responsible  to  itself, 
and,  in  turn,  to  the  States.  It  is  not  responsible  to 
the  President,  and  it  possesses  a  position  as  unquali- 
fiedly independent  as  his  own  ;  and  has  as  clear  a  right 
to  its  own  opinion  as  has  the  President,  and  is  obliged 
to  give  him  no  explanation  for  any  of  its  acts.  Within 
recent  times,  numerous  contests  have  grown  up  between 
the  President  and  individual  senators,  growing  out  of 
disputes  over  office.  The  public  has,  nearly  always, 
sided  with  the  President :  holding  that  he  has  the  right 
to  nominate  whom  he  pleases,  and  that  it  is  the  Sen- 
ate's duty  to  confirm,  without  opposition,  the  edicts  of 
the  White    House.     In    the  orieinal    creation    of   the 


A    MAX    AND    HIS   SOUL.  89 

power  of  the  President,  he  was  given  the  great  author- 
ity of  initial  action  in  the  selection  of  the  incumbents 
of  all  of  the  official  positions  in  the  country.  He  has 
the  power,  also,  to  begin  proceedings,  as  the  basis  of 
the  treaty  negotiations.  He  can  make  suggestions, 
from  time  to  time,  to  Congress,  concerning  legis- 
lation desired.  The  power  of  appointments,  alone,  is 
such  a  great  one  that,  with  it,  any  President  might 
subvert  and  overthrow  well-established  institutions. 
The  Senate  was  expressly  provided  as  a  check  upon 
this  power.  The  President  has  the  right  to  select,  and 
the  Senate  has  the  equal  right  to  reject.  In  the  same 
way,  the  President  has  his  check  upon  the  legislation 
of  Congress.  He  has  the  right  of  veto,  and  it  takes  a 
two-thirds  vote  to  go  beyond  this  adverse  action. 

Senators  are  very  proud  of  their  privileges,  and 
watch,  with  jealous  care,  to  guard  against  any  en- 
croachments upon  their  rights.  Each  senator  repre- 
sents the  influence  and  power  of  a  sovereign  State. 
He  is  looked  up  to,  in  his  State,  as  a  leader,  by  the 
great  mass  of  voters,  without  any  regard  to  the  cur- 
rent criticisms  of  the  time.  A  President,  who  need- 
lessly offends  a  senator  in  the  selection  of  appoint- 
ments, is  not  a  statesman,  much  less  a  politician  ;  for  he 
provokes  endless  conflicts,  antagonizes  the  powerful 
Senate,  and  renders  impracticable  the  best-laid  plans 
for  his  own  administration. 

So  it  can  be  seen  how  this  second  affront  came  with 
the  same  conspicuous  effect  as  a  resounding  slap  on  the 
face  of  Senator  Norton.  He  affected  indifference  ;  but, 
as  he  glanced  up  at  the  gallery  to  note  the  effect  upon 


go  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

the  correspondents  assembled  there,  his  glance  met 
mine.  He  frowned  slightly,  as  much  as  to  say  :  "  Do  you 
now  understand  what  I  expect  of  you  ?  Is  it  not  time 
for  a  counter-blow  ?  " 

I  ran  out  of  the  gallery,  fearing  he  might  send  for 
me,  and  hastened  up  town  to  the  hotel,  to  see  Captain 
Harcourt. 


9i 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE    LADY    IN    THE   CASE. 

As  I  came  up  on  the  sidewalk,  in  front  of  the  Arling- 
ton Hotel,  I  noticed  a  carriage  stopping  in  front  of  the 
awning-covered  entrance  for  ladies.  As  I  crossed 
directly  under  it,  I  observed  the  wife  of  my  friend, 
the  Cabinet  officer.  The  moment  she  saw  me  she 
hastily  beckoned  me  to  the  carriage  door.  I  never 
saw  her  looking  better  than  in  this  hour  of  her  danger. 
Did  she  know  how  her  brilliant  position  was  even  now 
being  threatened  ?  In  many  ways  she  was  a  wonderful 
and  admirable  woman,  who  deserved  a  better  fate. 

Sylvia  Granger,  as  she  beckoned  me  to  her  side,  de- 
serves a  brief  description,  as  she  was  then  one  of  the 
great  powers,  in  not  only  the  social  world,  but  the 
political,  as  well.  Although  born  in  the  far  West, 
she  was  of  sturdy  Puritan  stock.  This  element  gave 
her  intellectual  superiority  and  clear  common  sense, 
while  her  Western  life  and  education  had  given 
her  a  breadth  of  view  and  a  dash,  which  made  her 
an  engaging  companion.  At  the  time  of  my  story, 
she  was  in  the  neighborhood  of  thirty-five  years 
of  age.  She  was  tall,  dark,  and  with  the  slim  figure 
of  a  girl.  She  was  always  dressed  richly,  but  with 
only  occasional  suggestions  of  brilliancy,  appearing  in 
the   simple  key  of   colors   employed    in    her  toilettes. 


92  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

Black  was  her  favorite  color,  as  it  so  well  set  off 
her  clear,  olive  complexion.  She  had  the  sim- 
plicity and  directness  of  a  man  accustomed  to  large 
affairs,  and  in  no  way  employed  the  small  affectations 
common  to  her  sex.  Yet  she  had  a  wonderful  fascina- 
tion over  men.  Without  apparent  effort,  she  had  in 
her  train  half  of  the  public  men  in  Washington.  Upon 
her  reception  days  her  house  was  crowded  with  the 
best  people.  Her  dinners  were  most  eagerly  sought 
after.  Her  world,  in  the  main,  was  political,  and  she 
understood  politics  so  well  that  she  talked  but  little  on 
the  subject,  and,  when  with  the  public  men  of  the 
day,  understood  how  to  listen.  But,  when  it  came  to 
the  movements  of  a  political  intrigue,  there  was  no 
one  so  active  and  powerful  in  gathering  about  her 
the  elements  to  control  or  overwhelm  an  opposition. 
She  was  a  great  favorite  with  the  President  on  account 
of  her  brilliancy,  her  beauty,  and  her  shrewdness.  Mrs. 
Granger  loved  power,  and  her  ambition  knew  but  few 
limits.  If  she  could  have  had  great  wealth  at  her  com- 
mand, she  would  never  have  taken  any  but  safe  paths  ; 
but,  not  having  it,  and  having  risen  so  rapidly,  her  needs 
and  wants  had  descended  upon  her  like  a  devouring 
host,  that  had  to  be  met  some  way.  She  had  so  many 
rivals,  and  they  were  all  so  pitiless.  The  atmosphere 
of  excitement  in  which  she  lived  was  not  conducive  to 
reflection.  So,  when  an  opportunity  was  afforded  to 
make  some  money  in  exchange  for  the  wielding  by 
her  of  a  certain  influence  in  the  distribution  of  the 
patronage  of  her  husband's  department,  she  did  not 
hesitate.     If  she  had  not  been  in  such  great  need,  and 


A    MAN    AND    HIS    SOUL.  93 

if  the  offer  had  not  come  in  such  an  insidious,  indirect 
way,  she  would  have,  perhaps,  had  time  to  see  the 
danger  of  her  act,  and  its  possible  ruin  of  her  husband. 
At  the  bottom,  she  believed  herself  a  good  woman. 
Her  ambition  centered  upon  her  husband.  She  wished 
to  see  him  President  of  the  United  States,  and  daily 
exerted  her  brilliant  powers  to  make  him  friends.  She 
used  to  love  him,  and  still  respected  and  honored  him. 
Later,  when  times  were  quieter,  she  might  again  love 
him  ;  but,  in  the  drive  of  occupation  of  each,  the  two 
were  absorbed,  and  met,  at  intervals,  in  their  busy  days, 
as  friends,  who  had  certain  interests  in  common.  Their 
three  children,  two  daughters  and  a  son,  were  in  school. 
The  daughters  were  in  the  convent  at  Georgetown, 
while  the  boy  was  in  a  private  school  preparing  for  ad- 
mission to  the  Naval  Academy. 

Secretary  Granger  was  a  friend  of  mine  long  before 
he  became  the  favorite  adviser  of  the  President  of  the 
United  States.  In  his  advancement,  he  never  changed 
his  attitude  towards  me.  The  intimacy  of  early  years 
was  increased,  if  anything,  as  he  rose  to  power. 

Mrs.  Granger,  as  she  beckoned  to  me  to  approach, 
without  reply  to  my  salutation  of  polite  inquiry  con- 
cerning her  health,  asked  me,  abruptly,  if  I  had  any 
engagement  for  the  next  hour  or  so  ;  "  For,"  said  she, 
with  a  smile,  anticipating  my  reply,  "  I  want  you  to 
come  with  me.  I  am  out  paying  calls,  and,  if  you  will 
enter  the  carriage,  I  will  have  a  chance  to  talk  with 
you,  as  I  shall  go  in  at  very  few  places,  perhaps  none. 
Can  you  come  ?  " 

I  looked  at  Mrs.  Granger,  as  I  replied  that  nothing 


94  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

would  give  me  greater  pleasure.  It  was  the  first 
special  notice  I  had  had  from  her.  She  had  always 
treated  me  well,  as  her  husband's  friend.  Why  this 
attention  ?  Did  she  know  anything  ?  If  she  did,  there 
was  no  betrayal  of  it  in  her  manner.  She  looked  as 
fresh  and  bright,  in  the  clear,  soft  air  of  that  bright, 
winter  morning,  as  if  there  was  no  such  thing  as  care 
in  the  world.  She  wore,  upon  her  blue-black  hair,  a 
tiny  bonnet  of  black  lace.  Dark  furs  and  robes  en- 
veloped her.  At  her  throat,  where  the  circle  of  sable 
parted,  there  was  a  touch  of  scarlet,  that  encircled  her 
graceful  throat,  a  line  of  color  against  the  dark  shade 
of  her  walking  dress.  A  great  bunch  of  English  violets, 
pinned  upon  her  breast,  filled  the  dark  brougham 
with  the  perfume  of  a  hothouse.  She  tugged,  with 
impatience,  at  the  carriage  door,  to  open  it,  as  I  was 
bowing  my  acceptance  ;  and  before  I  could  give  my  as- 
sistance, and  before  the  correct  footman  had  begun  to 
unbend  to  descend  for  orders,  the  carriage  door  was 
opened,  and  I  was,  in  a  moment,  seated  in  one  corner, 
under  the  furs,  with  the  most  fascinating,  self-willed, 
and  independent  woman  in  Washington  society.  The 
spirited  pair  of  blacks  attached  to  the  carriage  sprang 
away  at  the  sound  of  the  closing  door. 

"  Now  we  can  talk  undisturbed,"  said  my  companion. 
"  The  footman  has  the  list  and  the  cards,  so  I  need  to 
pay  no  attention  to  that.  Now,  in  politics  and  the 
modern  school  of  diplomacy,  the  rules  say  it  is  best  to 
be  simple  and  direct.  I  want  your  advice  and  help  in 
a  matter  that  greatly  concerns  my  husband." 

"Your  husband?" 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  95 

"  Yes ;  my  husband.  You  have  relations  with 
Senator  Norton.  I  hear  that  you  were  with  him  last 
night,  after  leaving  the  Russian  Legation.  How  did  I 
hear  ?  Oh,  never  mind.  How  does  one  hear  every- 
thing in  Washington,  where  secrets  fly  about  on  wings  ? 
Now,  I  do  not  propose  to  press  you  for  any  details  of 
that  interview ;  but  I  know  that  Senator  Norton  is 
vigorously  plotting  a  savage  attack  upon  the  President, 
and  that  this  attack  is  to  be  made  through  my  husband. 
Am  I  well  informed?" 

"  You  are." 

"  The  nature  of  the  attack,  alone,  I  do  not  know. 
That  is  the  only  thing  that  puzzles  me.  My  husband, 
as  you  know,  is  the  soul  of  honor.  He  is  too  honor- 
able for  a  successful  fighter  with  such  a  man  as  Nor- 
ton ;  but  I  have  heard  several  times,  within  the  last 
twenty-four  hours,  from  friends  of  mine  in  the  Senate, 
that  my  husband  was  in  danger.  So  greatly  impressed 
have  I  been  with  the  correctness  of  this  information, 
that  I  went  to  the  President  yesterday,  after  the  Cab- 
inet meeting,  to  ask  him  to  suspend  all  action  against 
Senator  Norton  until  the  situation  is  cleared.  But  you 
know  the  President.  He  is  obstinate,  combative,  and 
not  over  clear  of  vision.  His  entire  object  in  life,  at 
present,  is  to  humiliate  Senator  Norton,  and  he  does 
not  believe  the  1  tter  can  retaliate  in  anyway  that  will 
amount  to  anything." 

"What  do  you  think?" 

"  I  think  this — that  Senator  Norton  is  not  a  man  to 
boast  idly.  He  could  not  restrain  himself,  the  other 
evening,  when   talking  to   the  wife   of   Justice   Black, 


g6  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

who  greatly  admires  him.  He  more  than  hinted  that 
my  husband  was  soon  to  come  a  cropper,  and,  of 
course,  she  told  me.  She  even  said  that  there  was  a 
combination  made  to  drive  him  out  of  the  Cabinet, 
which  could  not  fail  to  succeed.  That  is  absurd,  of 
course.  But,  in  all  the  fights  we  have  been  through, 
I  have  never  had  such  an  impression  of  weight  and 
directness  as  in  the  present  case.  I  have  tried  to  warn 
the  President,  but  you  know  how  difficult  it  is  to 
change  him." 

"  Have  you  heard  of  the  nomination  he  sent  in 
to-day  ?  " 

"  Blovis  for  the  Berlin  mission  ?  Has  the  name 
actually  gone  in  ?  " 

"  It  has." 

"  I  knew  it  was  probable.  But  I  had  hoped  it  would 
be  delayed.  The  President  is  there  in  error,  and  pro- 
ceeds against  the  advice  of  his  Cabinet.  To  push 
Senator  Norton  too  far  will  create  public  sympathy 
for  him  and  unpopularity  for  the  President.  Now,  do 
you  know  the  line  of  attack  proposed  ?  " 

"I  do." 

At  this,  Mrs.  Granger  faced  about,  and,  for  the  first 
time,  her  face  paled.  Nervously  locking  her  hands 
together,  she  said,  in  a  quiet,  repressed  manner  of  in- 
tense attention  :  "  Tell  me  all  about  it." 

"  How  can  I  ?  " 

"  How  can  you  refuse,  and  call  yourself  my  husband's 
friend  ?  " 

"  Still,  it  is  a  most  difficult  thing  to  tell." 

"  Ah  " — her   woman's    intuition    was    beginning   to 


A   MAX   AND   HIS   SOUL.  97 

divine  why  I  hesitated — "  do  you  hesitate  to  talk  on 
account  of  the  nature  of  the  attack  ?  Is  it  anything 
you  should  conceal  from  me,  a  something  that  loyal 
men  never  tell  to  the  wives  of  their  best  friends?" 

"  No ;  it  is  not  that ;  and  no  one  should  know  that 
better  than  you." 

"  What  is  it  ?  " 

At  this,  the  carriage  stopped  at  a  residence  next  to 
the  Granger  house.  It  was  the  Austrian  Legation. 
As  the  footman  was  ringing  the  bell,  there  came  a 
tap  upon  the  carriage  window,  and  then  the  sound  of 
girlish  laughter.  There  stood,  upon  the  sidewalk, 
Mrs.  Granger's  two  daughters,  one  twelve  and  the  other 
fourteen,  in  the  company  of  a  discreet  Sister.  The  two 
girls  were  just  leaving  the  house  for  a  return  to  the 
school.  They  were  delighted  to  meet  their  mother  on 
their  road,  and  they  came  flying  to  her  carriage, 
chattering  and  laughing,  as  they  burst  in  upon  her,  to 
hug  her,  and  to  lay  at  her  feet  their  ardent  worship. 
These  gracious  American  princesses — one  a  blonde  and 
the  other  a  dark-eyed,  black-haired  madcap,  the  very 
image  of  her  mother — were  alive  with  health  and  fun. 
They  passed  on  in  a  moment,  but  the  sight  of  them 
gave  my  thoughts  another  turn.  I  had  been  growing 
hard  in  my  judgment  of  the  Cabinet  officer's  wife,  who 
I  knew  to  be  responsible  for  all  this  complication  in 
which  her  husband  was  being  involved.  But,  as  I  wit- 
nessed the  scene  between  the  mother  and  her  children, 
I  relented.  At  best,  it  is  hard  to  be  judicial  in  passing 
upon  the  faults  of  very  handsome  women.  With  ugly 
ones,  we  can  mete  out  justice  with  an  unsparing  hand. 


98  A   MAN   AND    HIS   SOUL. 

But  to  be  anything  but  lenient  with  such  a  woman, 
now  seemed,  to  me,  to  be  impossible. 

As  the  carriage  moved  on,  Mrs.  Granger  was  silent  for 
a  moment,  and  then  she  began :  "  You  had  better  tell 
me.  I  shall  know,  in  any  event.  So  what  is  the  differ- 
ence ?  " 

"  Let  me  ask  you,  first,  a  question,  and  you  must 
promise  not  to  be  offended." 

"Offended!     Not  possible  !  " 

"  Yes  ;  it  may  be  possible.  Let  me  ask  you  to  look 
over  your  own  career  in  Washington.  Have  you 
always  been  careful  to  do  nothing  that  would  give 
the  enemies  of  your  husband  an  advantage?" 

The  eyes  of  my  companion  flashed,  as  I  hastened  to 
add :  "  Pardon  me.  You  ask  me  to  talk  plainly.  It 
is  only  in  that  way  I  can  aid  you.  Have  you  always 
been  careful,  as  has  been  your  husband,  in  guarding 
against  acts  that  could  be  misconstrued  ?  " 

Still  Mrs.  Granger  said  nothing,  but  looked  at  me 
with  the  careful,  intense  look  of  one  facing  a  deadly 
attack. 

I  continued  :  "  I  do  not  love  beating  about.  Senator 
Norton  has  in  his  hands  certain  papers  relating  to  the 
award  of  the  Warner  contracts.  Why  did  you  allow  your 
stupid,  contractor  cousin,  Brown,  to  be  so  prominent  in 
this,  as  an  intermediary?  He  has  signed  receipts,  and 
written  enough  compromising  letters,  concerning  this 
affair,  to  ruin  forty  good  men.  It  makes  no  difference 
how  innocent  you  are  ;  it  will  all  come  home  to  you 
and,  in  the  end,  to  your  husband." 

Mrs.  Granger,  for  the  moment,  was  overwhelmed. 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  99 

She  sank  back  blank,  pale  and  nerveless.  The  source  of 
the  attack  had  been  so  unexpected.  From  the  silence 
and  extreme  pallor,  I  could  judge  how  the  blow  had 
struck  home.  Suddenly,  the  carriage  stopped.  We 
were  now  upon  the  brow  of  Capitol  Hill,  facing  the 
splendid  marble  pile  of  the  Capitol,  shining  white  in 
the  bright  rays  of  a  brilliant,  sunny  afternoon.  Up 
the  winding  roadway,  under  the  marble  terrace,  upon 
the  side  of  the  Senate  wing,  there  came  the  simple, 
but  imposing  pageant  of  a  military  funeral,  which,  for 
the  moment,  barred  our  path. 

The  wailing  bugles,  the  muffled  drum  beats,  accom- 
panying this  last  march  of  some  unknown,  military  hero, 
filled  the  air  with  sadness.  Some  cadence  of  this  song 
of  grief  pierced  through  the  shield  of  reserve  of  this 
woman  of  the  world,  and  she  burst  into  a  perfect 
passion  of  weeping. 

This  breakdown  was  but  for  a  moment.  The  worst 
now  being  known,  Mrs.  Granger  soon  raised  her  head 
and  resumed  something  of  the  self-possession  of  her 
former  manner,  although  she  was  dreadfully  shaken,  as 
I  could  see  by  the  involuntary  trembling  of  the  tips  of 
her  fingers,  notwithstanding  the  apparent  control  of 
her  face.  The  trembling  of  her  fingers  touched  me 
more  than  would  the  wildest  cries  of  agony,  and  I  then 
and  there  became  her  champion — resolved  to  defend 
her,  regardless  of  any  abstract  question  of  right  or 
wrong. 

Finally,  I  told  her  what  I  had  already  done.  When 
I  described  my  interview  with  General  Starr,  her  face 
lighted  for  the  first  time.     "  He  is  a  brave,  true,   old 


IOO  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

man,"  said  she,  "  and  as  wise  as  he  is  brave.  Will  you  see 
me  as  soon  as  you  have  come  from  him  this  evening  ?  " 

"  Gladly,  but  where  ?  " 

"  I  am  to  be  at  a  dinner  at  the  British  Legation  this 
evening.  After,  I  am  one  of  the  chaperons  at  the 
Assembly.  You  will  find  me  there  until  two  o'clock 
in  the  morning.     Then  I  shall  go  home." 

"  Senator  Norton  will  surely  wish  to  see  me  this 
evening." 

"  You  will  have  time  for  that.  I  should  prefer  that 
you  learn  all  you  can  before  coming  to  me." 

"  General  Starr  may  go  to  the  President  after  going 
over  the  case,  at  ten  o'clock,  at  his  house." 

"  Well,  well ;  I  must  be  patient  as  I  can.  Keep  all 
this  from  my  husband,  if  it  can  be  done  ;  but  can  it  be 
done  ?  "     Here  the  hands  began  to  tremble  again. 

"  It  is  a  miserable  affair,  but  you  must  not  worry  or 
lose  your  courage  for  a  moment." 

"  It  is  easy  to  have  courage  when  one  is  right ;  but, 
in  this,  I  have  been  so  hopelessly  in  the  wrong.  What 
must  you  think  of  me  ?  " 

"  I  am  not  in  this  case  to  pass  judgment  upon  any 
one.  I  am  ready,  as  a  loyal  friend,  to  act  with  my 
eyes  shut,  and  will  leave  the  ethics  of  the  situation  to 
be  discussed  by  our  enemies." 

"  Our  enemies.     Thank  you." 

A  few  minutes  later,  Mrs.  Granger  said  she  must  now 
dismiss  me.  She  did  not  make  the  mistake  of  trying  to 
defend  herself.  She  only  said :  "  I  shall  not  lessen 
your  sympathies  by  trying,  in  any  way,  to  exculpate 
myself.     In  this  affair  I  have  been  wofully  wrong,  and 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  101 

am  inexcusably  guilty.  My  cousin  is  not  really  the 
responsible  one.  If  my  needs  had  not  been  so  great  I 
would  not,  perhaps,  have  been  so  stupidly  remiss.  I  have 
failed  as  the  guardian  of  my  husband's  honor.  In  my 
carelessness  I  have  thought  mere  bodily  purity  compre- 
hended all  my  duty  concerning  him.  How  complete  is  my 
failure,  I  understand  better  than  any  one  else.  If  I  could 
take  the  burden  of  this  upon  my  own  shoulders,  I  should 
have  more  courage.  But  I  cannot.  Life  is  too  compli- 
cated in  its  relations  for  any  one  to  be  able  to  do  that." 

Her  simple  courage,  and  the  directness  with  which 
she  admitted  the  full  extent  of  her  misstep,  increased  my 
admiration  for  her.  As  I  descended  from  her  carriage, 
in  front  of  my  hotel,  I  pressed  her  hands  with  fervor. 

"  Count  on  me,  and  trust  me,"  I  said,  with  the  en- 
thusiasm of  a  deep  emotion  of  pity. 

As  I  spoke,  the  thunderous  hoof-beats  of  a  horse, 
ridden  at  high  speed  over  the  now  partially  cleared 
asphalt,  caused  me  to  turn  my  head.  The  rider  was 
Senator  Norton,  and  he  smiled  with  satirical  satisfaction 
as  he  gravely  saluted  me,  while  yet  I  was  bidding  fare- 
well to  Mrs.  Granger. 

The  Senator  had  resumed  his  afternoon  rides.  When 
he  had  any  political  fight  on  hand  of  unusual  impor- 
tance he  went,  at  once,  into  physical  training.  His 
presence  in  the  open  air,  upon  the  back  of  his  favorite 
horse,  was  an  advertisement  to  the  watchful  world  of 
Washington  that  the  powerful  Senator  had  just  thrown 
down  the  gauntlet  to  some  redoubtable  antagonist, 
and  was  preparing  a  full  stock  of  physical  strength  for 
a  period  of  excitement  and  struggle. 


102 


CHAPTER  XI. 

GENERAL   STARR   IS   INVITED   TO   TAKE   PART    IN    THE 
FIGHT   AS   A   PEACE-MAKER. 

It  was  in  the  middle  of  the  afternoon,  when  I  re- 
turned to  the  hotel.  I  immediately  sought  the  dining- 
room,  for  my  lunch  ;  as  I  had  now  so  many  engage- 
ments ahead  of  me  for  the  next  twelve  hours,  J  needed 
my  full  strength.  First,  I  was  to  see  Captain  Har- 
court  for  special  advice  and  conference,  as  a  prelimi- 
nary to  a  very  busy  evening.  It  was  almost  certain, 
that  Senator  Norton  would  send  for  me.  I  was  to  call 
upon  General  Starr  at  ten  o'clock,  and  I  felt  sure  he 
would  go  at  once  to  the  President  afterward.  He 
would  not  leave  the  White  House  before  midnight,  and 
then  I  would  have  to  hurry  to  the  Assembly  rooms  to 
find  Mrs.  Granger.  After  lunch  I  went  to  my  room,  re- 
solving to  stay  there  until  dinner-time,  and  not  call  upon 
Captain  Harcourt  until  evening.  I  partially  undressed 
and  lay  down  for  a  nap.  In  this  sleep  I  had  a  strange 
dream.  I  thought  that  I  met  my  soul,  who  said  to  me  : 
"  At  last  we  are  becoming  acquainted.  The  more  you 
sympathize  with  the  suffering  of  others,  and  the  harder 
you  work  to  lessen  their  pain,  the  nearer  we  come  to- 
gether."   Then  the  dream  faded  and  I  slept  profoundly. 

It  was  late  when  I  awoke.  I  dressed  carefully  for 
the   evening  before  going  down   to   dinner,  and  when 


A   MAX   AND   HIS   SOUL.  IO3 

once  in  the  dining-room,  I  looked  about  for  Captain 
Harcourt.  But  he  had  already  dined.  I  found  him  in 
his  favorite  seat  in  the  center  of  the  hotel  office.  As  I 
took  a  seat  by  his  side,  I  felt,  without  one  word  of 
greeting  from  him,  his  intense  sympathy,  and  knew  in 
some  intangible  way,  that  if  all  else  failed,  I  could 
rely  upon  him.  After  recounting  to  him,  briefly,  my 
experiences  of  the  day,  I  asked  him  if  he  had  any 
further  advice  or  suggestions. 

"  Not  now.  Come  to  my  rooms  after  you  have 
finished  with  your  visits  of  the  night.  We  will  then  go 
over,  carefully,  the  facts  of  the  situation.  We  will  first 
look  at  them  long,  then  exactly  as  they  are,  free  from 
all  color,  and  then  we  will  look  at  the  reverse  picture, 
as  a  correction  of  its  errors.  You  are  now  passing 
through  an  experience  which  is  of  value  to  you,  as  it 
will  burn  deep  into  your  consciousness,  the  fact  of  the 
false  values  of  the  life  of  the  great  American  republic. 
Here,  at  the  National  Capital,  is  the  mainspring  of  our 
life  as  a  nation.  If  the  science  of  government,  the 
greatest  science  left  to  be  developed  for  the  benefit  of 
man,  is  degraded  to  petty  personal  struggles  of  vin- 
dictive ambition,  then  the  whole  nation  must,  in  the  end, 
feel  the  effect  of  such  degradation.  You  stand  this 
evening  under  the  shadow  of  a  cruel  tragedy  brought 
about  by  the  selfish  striving  of  the  intense  rivalry  of 
modern  political  and  social  life.  Can  you  do  any- 
thing ?  Is  it  wise  to  suppress  the  climax  of  the  disaster  ? 
This  outbreak,  in  which  your  personal  sympathies  are 
enlisted,  assumes  on  that  account  an  overshadowing 
importance.      May  there   not    be  some    development, 


104  A   MAN   AND    HIS   SOUL. 

equally  cruel,  in  another  quarter,  springing  from  the 
same  cause,  but  which  may  leave  your  personal  sympa- 
thies untouched  ?  " 

"Then  you  do  not  propose  to  really  help  me?"  I 
was  stung  by  his  philosophical  calmness. 

"  I  did  not  say  so.  I  shall  help  you,  but  perhaps  not 
in  the  way  you  may  wish.  You  may  not  be  the  best 
judge  of  what  is  help." 

Our  conversation  was  interrupted  here  by  a  messen- 
ger, who  came  to  tell  me  that  Senator  Norton  would 
like  to  see  me  a  moment.  I  hesitated  a  moment, 
thinking  whether  it  would  be  best  to  plead  some  en- 
gagement, when  the  messenger,  who  was  the  Senator's 
confidential  body  servant,  added  that  his  master  had 
directed  him  to  say  that,  if  I  was  very  busy,  any  time 
before  twelve  o'clock  the  next  day  would  do  as  well. 

I  turned  to  Captain  Harcourt.  "  Go  and  see  him," 
said  he,  "  call  there  on  your  way  to  General  Starr's." 

I  whispered  a  brief  message  to  the  servant,  and  then 
I  went  to  order  a  hansom  cab  for  the  evening.  It  was- 
now  nine  o'clock  and  I  left  the  hotel  at  once,  leaving 
Captain  Harcourt  at  his  post  of  observer  of  the  ever- 
changing  groups  that  came  and  went  through  the 
hotel. 

I  drove  to  the  Hotel  Jefferson  and  was  shown  up  to 
Senator  Norton's  rooms.  I  found  his  drawing-room 
filled  with  men.  His  followers  in  the  delegation  in  the 
House  were  all  present.  Here  and  there  were  to  be 
found  Norton's  closest  allies  in  the  Senate  chamber, 
every  one  of  whom  cordially  hated  the  President  on 
account  of  some  disappointment  at  his  hands.     Cham- 


A   MAX   AND   HIS   SOUL.  105 

pagne  bottles  were  placed  upon  every  available  object 
of  support  in  the  room.  Blue  clouds  of  smoke  filled 
the  air,  overcoming  with  its  pungent  odor  the  heavy 
perfumes  of  the  flowers  that  were  always  to  be  found 
in  the  Senator's  quarters.  The  conversation  in  the 
room  rose  and  fell  with  the  roar  of  passion  and  ex- 
citement. What  subtle  poison  of  excitement  there  is 
to  be  found  in  every  political  contest !  The  men  who 
met  here,  to  talk  and  sympathize  with  the  Senator, 
were  as  angry  as  so  many  feudal  barons,  whose  rights 
were  threatened  by  some  usurper. 

Senator  Norton  dominated  the  assemblage.  He 
moved  about  from  one  group  to  the  other,  barely  tast- 
ing the  freely-flowing  wine  and  not  lighting  the  cigar 
that  he  crushed  between  his  even,  white,  strong  teeth. 

He  hurried  me  to  a  private  room,  away  from  the 
crowd.  He  locked  the  door  and  then  turned  to  me  as 
he  said  :     "  Have  you  anything  to  tell  me  ?  " 

"  No  ;  not  yet." 

"  I  wanted  to  tell  you  one  thing.  I  gave  you  forty- 
eight  hours.  You  have  all  the  facts,  and  the  permis- 
sion to  use  them.  I  do  not  want  you  to  send  the  story, 
even  if  you  decide  to  use  it,  before  seeing  me.  You 
have  no  intention  to  send  anything  to-night  ?  " 

"  No  ;  I  have  no  such  intention." 

"  Good  ;  that  is  all  I  wished  to  say." 

The  Senator  was  not  a  man  given  to  repeating  dra- 
matic effects.  He  had  said  to  me  all  he  had  intended, 
the  night  before.  I  knew  his  intentions  regarding 
the  President.  There  was  no  need  of  his  making  any 
allusion  to  the  second  blow  of  the  President,  delivered 


106  A   MAN  AND   HIS  SOUL. 

that  day.  His  request,  or  rather  his  command,  merely 
confirmed  the  view  General  Starr  had  taken  of  the 
case,  and  so  it  was  with  a  lighter  heart  that  I  left  the 
hotel,  and  buttoned  my  ulster  about  me,  as  I  directed 
the  cab  to  be  driven  to  General  Starr's  house,  which 
was  perched  upon  the  heights  of  Kalorama,  some  two 
miles  distant.  It  was  a  clear  night,  and  over  the 
smooth  asphalt  we  made  very  good  time.  I  rang  the 
bell  at  the  Senator's  house,  just  as  my  watch  marked 
ten  o'clock. 

I  was  shown  in  by  a  tall  negro  butler,  in  plain  even- 
ing dress,  instead  of  the  livery  affected  in  the  average 
senatorial  household.  He  copied  the  grim  gravity  of 
his  master. 

I  was  ushered  into  a  huge  library  sitting-room,  filled 
along  its  walls  with  shelf  upon  shelf  of  books  and  pam- 
phlets. In  every  opening  possible  were  portraits  of 
military  heroes  ;  military  emblems  and  flags  were  the 
principal  adornments  of  this  huge  room.  In  the  center 
was  a  large,  open  fire-place,  upon  which  blazed  sputter- 
ing logs  of  wood.  In  front  of  the  fire,  upon  a  crimson 
rug,  lay  two  dogs,  one  a  brown  Irish  setter,  the  other  a 
full-blood  Newfoundland  dog  of  fine  breed.  The  Gen- 
eral, in  evening  dress,  sat  in  a  strong,  oaken  chair,  at  the 
left  of  the  fire,  puffing  at  his  eternal  cigar.  Upon  his 
further  left  were  two  secretaries,  drudging  away  at  the 
letters  indicated  in  the  morning  conference  at  the 
Committee  Room  at  the  Capitol.  It  was  the  General's 
favorite  reception  hour,  and,  as  he  sat  with  a  host  of 
callers  about  him,  he  well  deserves  a  picture,  for  he 
was  one  of  the  most  unique  characters  who  ever  filled 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  IOJ 

high  public  place.  He  was  then  sixty  years  of  age. 
His  figure  was  slight,  but  above  the  medium  height, 
with  the  lines  of  muscular  vigor  of  a  man  of  surpassing 
strength.  His  once  dark  hair  had  turned  to  a  soft 
yellow-white,  which  stood  up  in  irregular  spiky  masses 
over  his  square,  high  forehead.  His  eyes,  a  piercing 
blue-gray  in  repose,  were  peaceful,  but,  in  the  excite- 
ment of  battle,  fairly  blazed  with  an  unholy  light.  His 
nose  was  straight  and  his  mouth  large,  full  and  stern. 
It  was  shaded  by  a  drooping,  long,  gray  mustache, 
falling,  in  sweeping,  careless  ends,  upon  his  square  pug- 
nacious, powerful  chin.  His  jaws  were  blue  from  the 
heavy  roots  of  the  smoothly  cut  beard,  against  the 
clear  brown  of  his  weather-tanned  face.  His  voice,  in 
ordinary  speech,  was  slow  and  drawling;  but,  when  ex- 
cited or  angry,  it  was  a  deep,  powerful  bass.  His  feet 
and  hands  might  have  excited  the  envy  of  a  lady,  so 
small  and  gracefully  formed  were  they.  He  was  a  man 
incapable  of  betraying  a  trust,  or  in  failing  to  come  to 
the  support  of  a  friend.  He  loved  a  fight  as  a  drunk- 
ard loves  wine,  but  he  never  sought  a  quarrel  with 
any  one.  His  honesty  was  so  unquestioned,  that 
no  enemy,  in  the  most  bitter  of  the  mud-throwing  of 
political  contests,  had  ever  thought  or  dared  to  ques- 
tion it.  Underneath  a  mask  of  stern  indifference  he 
carried  a  heart  of  exquisite  tenderness.  But  with  all 
his  calm,  he  was  subject  to  occasional  bursts  of  temper, 
during  which  he  spoke  with  a  tongue  of  fury,  and  sput- 
tered oaths,  with  the  volubility  of  a  soldier  of  the  old 
school ;  yet,  he  was  a  profoundly  religious  man,  and 
always    stood    ready   to    knock    any    Christian    down, 


108  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

who  dared  to  disagree  with  him  upon  a  question  of 
theology. 

In  the  group  about  General  Starr,  at  the  time  of  my 
call,  were  to  be  seen  the  leading  types  of  the  floating 
life  of  Washington.  No  one,  who  wanted  to  see  Gen- 
eral Starr,  was  ever  refused  admittance  to  the  light  and 
warmth  of  his  library,  where  he  sat  in  a  kind  of  solemn 
state  and  listened  to  the  numerous  petitions  that  were 
presented  for  his  consideration.  Beggars,  even,  were 
to  be  found  in  the  crowd.  All  were  welcome,  although 
those  who  had  no  real  claim  upon  his  attention  never 
got  very  far.  The  General,  during  these  hours  of  daily 
reception  of  the  lame,  halt  and  blind  of  Washington 
politics,  was  generally  very  silent.  He  looked  straight 
into  the  fire  and  smoked.  He  listened  to  the  longest 
stories,  without  a  trace  of  weariness.  Perhaps  he  did 
not  always  listen,  but  he  had  the  appearance  of  it.  No 
one  was  ever  told  to  go,  and  it  was  always  midnight 
before  the  last  caller  was  gone.  If  the  General  wished 
to  go  out,  his  overcoat  would  be  brought  to  him  by 
some  attendant,  and  out  he  would  go,  without  a  word 
or  a  salute.  If  the  company  wished  to  wait  his  return 
and  warm  their  toes  at  his  open  fire,  they  were  wel- 
come— only  no  one  must  interfere  with  the  work  of  the 
secretaries,  who  worked  with  feverish  energy  to  catch 
up  with  the  long  letter  list.  For  the  Senator  would 
answer  every  letter  sent  him,  and,  this  being  well 
known,  the  letters  seeking  his  help  came  to  him  in 
clouds  from  all  over  the  United  States. 

He  nodded  at  me  as  I  entered,  and  pointed  with  a 
thumb  to  a  chair  near  him,  a  chair  never  occupied  by 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  IO9 

any  of  his  visitors,  except  upon  his  special  invitation. 
He  then  handed  me  a  cigar — another  mark  of  favor — 
and  then  looked  at  me  as  the  next  man  entitled  to 
speak.  I  told  him,  in  a  low  voice,  just  what  I  had  done 
during  the  day,  of  my  talk  with  Sylvia,  and  the  import- 
ance of  the  testimony  obtained  from  her  of  the  abso- 
lute innocence  of  her  husband. 

The  General  smoked,  as  I  talked,  but  said  nothing. 
I  was,  however,  used  to  his  ways,  and  was  content  to 
wait. 

Just  as  I  had  finished  talking,  the  wife  of  the  Gen- 
eral, a  handsome  woman,  near  the  age  of  her  husband, 
but  alive  and  alert  with  the  energy  of  youth,  came  into 
the  room  with  her  two  daughters,  both  married,  promi- 
nent as  handsome,  well-bred  women,  who  knew  every 
one,  and  who  were  welcome  for  their  brightness  and 
good  nature  more  than  for  their  elegance  of  dress. 
They  were  all  dressed  to  go,  and  called  upon  the  General 
to  accompany  them. 

He  stood  up  with  alacrity,  as  he  said:  "You  will 
have  to  excuse  me  now.  Go  ahead  !  I  may  join  you  at 
the  Legation.  If  I  don't,  you  will  have  to  do  your 
rounds  alone  to-night.  I  am  going  to  the  White  House 
to  see  the  President,  and  the  Assembly,  where  you  are 
going,  will  be  too  late  for  me." 

When  the  General  spoke,  there  was  nothing  more  to 
be  said.  There  was  a  moment  of  hurried  talk  and 
salutation  with  those  in  the  library  who  were  known  to 
them,  and  then  the  ladies  passed  out. 

The  General  went  with  me  to  my  cab,  muffled  in  a 
huge,  blue  coat  of  army  pattern;    a  soft,  black  hat  was 


IIO  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

slouched  down  over  his  face.  When  we  were  once 
under  way,  with  directions  given  to  go  direct  to  the 
White  House,  the  General's  jaws  were  loosed.  For  the 
first  five  minutes,  he  passed  in  solemn  review  all  of  the 
most  formal  and  blood-curdling  oaths  known  to  the 
language.  Said  he,  after  this  necessary  prelude  : 
"  This  is  nice  business  for  an  old  man  like  me,  to  be  run- 
ning about  on  a  cold  winter's  night,  when  I  might  be 
at  home,  by  my  fire  :  just  because  two  obstinate,  stiff- 
necked  fools,  who  call  themselves  statesmen,  want  to 
quarrel,  my  God,  about  an  office.  Because  of  this 
quarrel,  a  family  is  to  be  stabbed  to  death,  with  the 
dagger  of  scandal,  because  a  woman  has  committed  a 
sin.  Now,  the  time  that  it  is  necessary  to  take  up  to 
head  off  this  tragedy,  inspired  and  driven  on  by  the 
cruel  and  selfish  vanity  of  two  men,  is  enough  to  drive 
a  man  to  drink." 

The  Senator  continued  in  this  strain  until  the  cab 
dashed  through  the  iron  gates  of  the  White  House 
grounds,  up  to  the  very  entrance,  between  the  blazing 
lights  that  illuminated  the  old-fashioned,  high  portico 
of  the  Executive  Mansion. 

I  no  longer  recognized  my  friend.  The  Oriental 
calm  of  the  man  of  peace  had  given  way  for  the  fire 
and  fury  of  the  soldier,  who  had  led  the  fiercest 
charges  of  the  war,  and  who,  during  four  years  of 
almost  continuous  fighting,  had  never  once  turned  his 
back  upon  the  enemy. 


Ill 


CHAPTER  XII. 

AN     AFTER     MIDNIGHT     RECEPTION     AT     THE     WHITE 

HOUSE. 

The  lower  part  of  the  White  House  was  lighted, 
while  the  private  wing  was  brilliantly  illuminated.  The 
President,  at  that  time,  held  many  conferences  after 
midnight.  It  was  the  best  time  for  his  intimates  to 
reach  him.  It  was  during  these  morning  hours  that 
some  of  the  most  important  acts  of  his  administration 
were  planned.  The  policeman,  in  plain  clothes,  at  the 
door  opened,  after  we  had  rung  once  or  twice,  and 
instantly  admitted  us  the  moment  he  saw  General  Starr. 
It  was  the  first  time  I  had  crossed  the  threshold  of  the 
White  House  at  this  hour.  The  General  asked  to  have 
his  name  sent  up,  saying  that  he  wished  to  see  the 
President  upon  a  matter  of  unusual  importance.  We 
were  shown  up-stairs,  and  left  to  wait  in  the  long, 
narrow  room  where  the  Cabinet  meetings  were  gener- 
ally held. 

After  ten  minutes  had  passed,  another  attendant 
came  to  us,  and  ushered  us  directly  into  the  private  con- 
ference room  of  the  President,  where  a  light  repast  was 
being  served.  This  long,  oval  room  was  ablaze  with 
light  and  good  cheer.  The  table  was  covered  with 
delicacies  of  a  very  substantial  character.  Cold  pastries, 
flanked  with  potted  birds,  and  a  great  pigeon-pie,  near 


112  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

the  President's  elbow,  showed  signs  of  attack  of  the 
most  vigorous  character.  Magnums  of  champagne 
stood  about  in  careless,  inviting  attitudes.  A  round 
dozen  of  the  President's  familiars  were  about  the  table, 
stuffing,  drinking,  smoking  and  talking,  all  at  the  same 
time.  In  the  group  were  three  or  four  of  the  adminis- 
tration leaders  in  the  Senate,  several  members  of  the 
House  who  were  in  the  President's  confidence,  and 
three  or  four  members  of  that  mysterious  body  known 
as  the  Kitchen  Cabinet.  These  were  rotund,  well- 
groomed  men,  who  looked  as  if  the  best  of  everything 
was  none  too  good  for  them,  and  who  had  no  special 
character  or  residence  that  was  known  to  any  one. 
They  were  simply  known  as  the  President's  intimate 
friends  and  cronies.  Where  they  came  from ;  who 
they  really  were ;  what  would  become  of  them  after 
the  President  should  pass  from  power,  were  questions 
no  one  felt  equal  to  answering. 

The  tone  of  the  company  was  highly  congratulatory. 
The  President,  flushed  with  good  cheer  and  much 
flattering  from  his  associates — and  few  Presidents  hear 
anything  but  flattery — was  in  an  exuberantly  good 
humor.  He  waved  his  napkin  cheerfully  at  General 
Starr,  whom  he  liked  very  much,  then  pulled  himself 
together  with  a  slight  frown  when  he  saw  me  following 
at  the  General's  heels.  The  President  was  not  over- 
fond  of  newspaper  correspondents,  and  never  saw 
them  outside  of  office  hours.  In  this  visit,  however, 
I  came  not  in  my  official  capacity,  but  as  a  friend  of 
General  Starr's,  and  so  the  President,  after  bowing 
very  coldly  in  my  direction,  asked   General  Starr  to 


A    MAX    AND    HIS   SOUL.  I  1 3 

take  a  seat  by  his  side  and  help  himself  to  pigeon-pie. 
The  members  of  the  Kitchen  Cabinet  were  very 
diplomatic  people.  They  are  very  fond  of  newspaper 
correspondents,  and  the  moment  they  saw  that  the 
President  even  tolerated  my  presence,  they  became 
effusive,  and  one  of  the  extra-energetic  members  found 
me  a  seat,  and,  in  another  moment,  I,  too,  had  a  help- 
ing from  the  pigeon-pie,  which  was  the  dish  of  honor. 

General  Starr  barely  touched  what  was  offered  him  ; 
then  he  began  to  talk  directly  to  the  President.  I 
studied  the  President's  face  during  the  conversation. 
The  look  of  comfort  and  satisfaction,  which  had  been 
brought  out  by  the  exquisite  flavor  of  the  pigeon  and 
his  favorite  brand  of  champagne,  now  gave  way  to  a 
shadow  of  vexation,  which  soon  reached  dissatisfaction 
and  impatience. 

Suddenly,  he  rose  from  the  table,  and  asked  General 
Starr  to  follow  him.  They  walked  into  the  President's 
bed-room,  and,  a  moment  afterwards,  a  messenger 
came  for  me  and  asked  me  to  join  them.  The  Presi- 
dent was  now  very  much  agitated.  He  cross-examined 
me  with  feverish  energy  concerning  the  case,  and 
asked,  over  and  over  again,  for  me  to  describe  Senator 
Norton's  manner.  He,  even,  asked  me  to  repeat  his 
very  words,  and  went  so  far  in  his  minute  inquiries  as  to 
ask  me  to  try  and  give  the  very  tone  of  the  utterance. 
After  he  had  finished  his  examination,  he  asked  me 
to  leave  him  alone  with  General  Starr,  as  he  did  not 
wish  to  discuss  the  facts  presented  to  him,  in  my 
presence. 

I  returned  to  the  guests  assembled  about  the  pigeon- 


114  A   MAN   AND    HIS   SOUL. 

pie.  It  was  a  quarter  after  one  when  General  Starr 
came  out.  He  did  not  look  contented.  I  never 
knew  any  one  who  had  less  skill  in  concealing  dissatis- 
faction than  he.  He  bowed  rather  curtly  to  the 
assembly,  and  I  followed  him  out  quickly,  for  the  time 
was  now  growing  short  for  my  appointment  with  Mrs. 
Granger  at  the  Assembly  rooms.  The  General  was 
grimly  silent,  going  down-stairs.  When  we  were  once 
in  the  cab,  I  directed  the  driver  to  go  to  the  Assembly 
rooms,  and  the  General  said  that  he  would  go  home 
with  his  people,  who  were,  probably,  still  there  ;  and, 
if  they  were  not,  it  was  understood  that  he  should  have 
my  cab,  and  I  was  to  find  my  way  home  the  best  I 
could.  When  we  were  under  way,  he  said  :  "  I  am  dis- 
appointed with  the  result  of  my  visit  to-night.  The 
President  is  a  very  weak  man,  and  his  vanity  has  been 
so  flattered  since  he  has  become  President,  it  is  hard 
to  do  anything  with  him.  If  he  had  known  all  the 
facts  of  the  case,  as  presented  to  him  this  evening,  he 
would  not  have  sent  in  that  second  nomination.  But, 
having  once  made  it,  he  will  not  withdraw  it,  and  he 
will  make  no  concessions  to  Senator  Norton,  not  even 
to  save  his  Cabinet  officer.  When  he  made  that  resolu- 
tion, I  told  him  the  whole  story,  and  how  much  to 
blame  Mrs.  Granger  was.  This  made  him  peevish  and 
fretful.  He  said  I  had  quite  destroyed  his  digestion. 
It  had  ruined  his  supper.  By  God,  sir,  I  think  he 
thought  more  of  losing  the  pleasure  of  the  digestion  of 
that  pigeon-pie  than  any  other  fact  connected  with  the 
case.  Mrs.  Granger  is  a  great  favorite  of  his.  He,  like 
all  weak  men,  wants  to  temporize.     He  has  great  con- 


A   MAN   AND    HIS   SOUL.  115 

fidence  in  Mrs.  Granger's  diplomatic  abilities.  He 
believes  that  she  will  arrange  this  affair  some  way,  and 
has  sent  for  her  to  come  to  the  White  House  to-morrow 
morning  to  see  him.  I  don't  think  he  cares  two 
straws  about  what  she  has  done.  As  he  said  to  me, 
with  a  smile  :  '  Women  have  no  real  idea  of  business, 
and  what  would  be  high  crime  in  a  man,  in  such  a 
matter,  was  an  ordinary  peccadillo  in  a  woman.'  He 
has  no  loyalty  of  character,  and  would  sacrifice 
Granger  to-morrow,  in  a  moment,  if  he  could  do  it 
without  scandal,  rather  than  make  the  slightest  con- 
cession to  Norton.  His  massive  brain  is,  at  present, 
permeated  with  the  thought  that  he  is  standing  on  a 
principle,  and  that  the  affair  is  one  which  concerns  the 
dignity  of  his  office.  He  is  on  such  high  ground,  the 
devil  could  not  touch  him  with  an  argument ;  and  any 
appeal  to  him,  upon  the  ground  of  sympathy  or  kind- 
ness, is  worse  than  a  waste  of  breath.  He  scoffs  at  the 
idea  of  any  tragic  possibilities,  and  had  the  calm  assur- 
ance to  tell  me  that  I  was  too  innocent  for  political 
life,  and  that  I  took  things  altogether  too  seriously. 
Still,  with  all  his  lightness  of  character,  and  his  fond- 
ness for  being  amused,  he  will  wake  up  to-morrow 
morning  very  grave  and  serious.  I  can't  do  anything 
more  to-night.  I  shall,  probably,  see  Norton  myself 
to-morrow.  I  am  going  to  play  a  square  game  with 
him.  I  shall  tell  him  exactly  all  the  story  that  relates 
to  Mrs.  Granger.  I  do  not  believe  that  Norton  would 
want  to  push  any  woman  to  the  wall.  If  it  can  be 
made  clear  that  it  is  the  woman  that  is  bound  to  be 
sacrificed,    I   may  make   Norton   hesitate :  but,   if   the 


Il6  A   MAN   AND    HIS    SOUL. 

President  does  not  make  some  kind  of  concession,  he 
will  be  as  relentless  as  an  Indian  when  on  the  track  of 
his  revenge,  and  he  will,  undoubtedly,  assume,  know 
ing  Granger  as  he  does,  that  he  will  come  to  the  front 
and  bear  the  burden  of  the  whole  thing,  and  that  Mrs. 
Granger,  in  reality,  will  not  be  hurt.  Of  course,  he 
does  not  really  understand  her  character.  I  do  not 
believe  she  is  the  kind  of  woman  who  will  sit  back 
with  her  mouth  shut,  and  see  her  husband's  honor  sacri- 
ficed. But,  then,  the  devil  of  it  is,  there  are  the 
children.  What  can  she  do?  Poor  girl!  I  knew  her 
when  she  was  a  baby,  and  have  seen  her  grow  up  and 
develop,  and  reach  success  she  deserved.  The  trouble, 
at  the  last,  has  been  her  ambition." 

We  were  now  at  the  Assembly  rooms.  A  broad 
blaze  of  light  came  out  from  the  hallway,  rilled  with 
plants  and  flowers,  through  which  ran  a  broad  strip  of 
carpeting  out  over  the  steps  and  across  the  sidewalk. 
Soldiers  in  uniform  stood  about  as  guards  of  honor,  for 
the  Assembly  that  night  was  under  military  direction. 
The  great  windows  of  the  Masonic  Temple,  where  the 
cotillion  was  conducted,  were  filled  with  flags  and 
lights.  Up  the  stairways  we  marched,  meeting  and 
saluting  occasional  groups  of  departing  guests  from 
among  the  spectators ;  but  the  members  of  the  As- 
sembly were  all  faithful  to  their  leader,  and,  from  their 
ranks,  not  one  had  departed  when  we  entered  the  floor. 
The  vibrating  floor,  the  undulating  movement  of  the 
throng  of  dancers,  the  wild  music  of  the  stringed  band 
of  the  Marine  Corps,  appealed  to  our  senses  of  sight 
and  hearing,  as  wre  entered  the  door.     We  stood  there 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  \\J 

a  moment,  watching  the  winding  in  and  out  of  the 
fanciful  figures,  and  then  the  General  found  his  people, 
or,  rather,  they  came  to  him.  A  moment  later,  I  was 
alone.  I  had  not  gone  far  about  the  room,  when  Mrs. 
Granger  passed,  leaning  upon  the  arm  of  the  German 
Minister,  on  her  way  to  the  door.  She  saluted  me, 
gravely,  as  I  passed  ;  and  then  I  turned  and  followed 
her,  without  having  the  appearance  of  being  specially 
interested.  At  the  hall,  I  delayed  a  moment,  and  then 
passed  out,  and  reached  the  sidewalk  just  as  the  minis- 
ter had  made  his  most  profound  salutations  to  Mrs. 
Granger  at  the  carriage  door. 

I  advanced,  in  my  turn,  and  had  a  chance  only  to 
whisper  a  word.  "  There  is,  really,  no  news  ;  nothing 
decisive  has  been  done."  Then  I  told  her,  in  a  word, 
about  our  visit  to  the  White  House,  and  that  the 
President  was  going  to  send  for  her  in  the  morning. 
This  last  piece  of  news  gave  her  a  shock.  "  The  Presi- 
dent is  going  to  send  for  me?  "  she  said. 

"Yes,"  said  I  ;  "he  thinks  that  you,  yourself,  should 
be  the  one  to  manage  this  affair." 

All  this  took  less  than  a  moment,  and  she  thanked 
me  for  my  devotion  to  her  interests  during  the  day,  and 
begged  me  to  come  and  lunch  at  her  house  the  next 
day.  Her  carriage  now  moved  on,  and  I  walked  home 
to  my  hotel,  where  I  found  a  message  in  my  box  from 
Captain  Harcourt,  asking  me  to  come  to  his  rooms  the 
moment  I  should  return,  no  matter  how  late  the  hour. 


n8 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

I  AM    INTRODUCED   AT   LAST   TO    MY   IMMORTAL   SOUL. 

Had  it  not  been  for  the  experience  with  Captain 
Harcourt  in  his  rooms,  upon  my  return  from  the  As- 
sembly meeting,  it  is  doubtful  whether  I  should  have 
made  any  attempt  to  write  an  account  of  my  experi- 
ences in  Washington  during  this  eventful  winter ;  for 
there  was  not  enough  of  the  unusual  in  the  intrigue 
developed  between  the  President  and  Senator  Norton 
to  warrant  my  putting  it  together  in  permanent  form. 
I  had  been  through  many  similar  experiences,  where,  as 
a  disinterested  spectator,  I  had  been  privileged,  by  my 
profession,  to  watch  the  play  from  behind  the  scenes. 
But,  in  this  affair,  there  was  at  last  the  note  of  absorb- 
ing personal  interest,  engaged  through  my  friendship 
and  affection  for  the  people  most  seriously  threatened, 
and  so  the  experience  I  was  now  undergoing  became 
so  unique  as  to  make  a  permanent  influence  on  my 
life.  This  influence  was  deepened  and  completed  by 
Captain  Harcourt,  so  that  what,  at  first,  merely  prom- 
ised to  be  a  prominent  chapter  in  my  life's  career, 
became,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  the  one  dominating 
division  of  my  history,  marking  a  change  as  great  as 
if  death  had  kindly  moved  me  onward  into  another 
world. 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  ng 

When  I  entered  Captain  Harcourt's  sitting-room, 
after  reading  his  message  in  the  hotel  office  below,  I 
was  weary  with  my  long  and  fatiguing  day.  Hardly 
had  I  crossed  the  threshold  of  the  room,  however,  when 
my  fatigue  fell  away  like  a  cloak,  and  an  unusual  sense 
of  freshness  and  vigor  came  to  me. 

Captain  Harcourt  was  in  his  favorite  lounging  atti- 
tude of  observant  expectancy.  He  gently  signed  to 
me  to  take  a  seat  opposite,  and,  for  a  few  moments, 
there  was  silence  between  us.  I  was  now  conscious  of  a 
new  feeling  in  his  presence.  He  no  longer  seemed  to 
be  my  refined  and  philosophical  every-day  friend  ; 
rather  a  superior,  who  now  had  summoned  me  before 
him  for  admonition  and  judgment ;  but,  yet,  whatever 
the  admonition  or  judgment,  I  accepted  it  implicitly 
in  advance,  so  pure  and  all-pervading  was  the  spirit  of 
gentleness  and  kindness  that  transfigured  his  plain- 
featured  face. 

In  other  ways,  there  appeared  to  be  a  great  change 
in  the  room  since  I  had  last  seen  it.  The  ordinary  and 
conventional  adornments  of  the  chamber  had  disap- 
peared. The  walls  were  concealed  behind  masses  of 
dark,  Oriental  tapestries,  threaded  here  and  there  with 
colors  so  brilliant  as  to  shine,  by  contrast,  like  the  gleam 
of  jewels.  There  was  a  faint  odor  of  some  unknown 
perfume  in  the  air  that  soothed  the  wearied  sense  like 
a  gentle  touch  of  a  loving  hand.  The  light  in  the 
room  was  glowing  soft,  but  yet,  steadily  brilliant,  with- 
out a  second  of  wavering.  As  I  sat,  looking  absently, 
but  contentedly,  at  Captain  Harcourt,  there  came  to 
my  surprised  and  delighted  ear  the  sounds  of  distant 


120  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

harmonies,  which  rose  and  fell  like  waves  of  a  mighty 
sea.  Was  it  the  effect  of  my  imagination,  stimulated 
by  my  physical  fatigue  ?  This  was  the  question  I  asked 
myself  over  and  over  again. 

"No,"  replied  Captain  Harcourt  to  my  silent  in- 
quiry ;  "  it  is  not  the  effect  of  your  imagination,  but, 
simply,  by  an  enlargement  of  your  powers  to  see  and 
hear.  You  are  now,  at  last,  in  the  atmosphere  and  sur- 
roundings of  your  own  soul." 

"  My  soul !  What  has  that  to  do  with  the  apparent 
change  in  the  surroundings  of  this  room  ?  " 

"  It  has  all  that  there  is  to  do  with  it,"  answered  my 
companion.  "  Within  every  man  there  dwells  a  por- 
tion of  divinity,  capable  of  leading  him  to  the  highest 
pleasures  and  highest  possibility.  It  is  this  element 
which  makes  all  men  absolutely  equal,  and  the  apparent 
inequalities  existing,  exist  only  because  of  the  inequality 
of  results  obtained  in  reaching  up  to  this  high  being, 
who  stands  patient  through  the  centuries  of  trial, 
until  the  spirit  receives  his  pure  embrace,  and  perfection 
becomes  the  result." 

"  Do  you  mean  that  you,  by  your  conscious  associa- 
tion with  your  own  soul,  have  at  last  arrived  at  a  con- 
dition of  perfection  ?  " 

"  By  no  means.  Rut  I  have  so  clearly  before  me  the 
standard,  that  I  am  less  anxious  to  err.  My  natural 
inclination  and  pleasure  lie  in  the  direction  of  his  pure 
and  peaceful  companionship.  But  the  inherited  habits 
of  the  past  are  still  at  war  within  me.  My  one  great 
danger  lies  in  inaction,  in  listening  too  long  to  the 
sweet  harmonies  of  the  Universe,  and  to  my  closing  my 


A    MAX    AND    HIS    SOUL.  121 

ears  and  eyes  against  the  discords  and  cruelties  of  or- 
dinary life." 

I  thought  of  his  apparent  indifference  to  the  possi- 
ble disgrace  of  my  dearest  and  most  valued  friend,  and 
was  about  to  speak,  when  he  said  :  "  In  that  you  mis- 
judge me.  I  have  not  been  indifferent  to  what  has 
caused  so  much  pain  and  trouble  ;  but  my  knowledge 
does  not  give  me  the  authority  or  power  to  change  the 
order  of  existing  things.  I  possess  no  magic  wand, 
through  the  gift  of  being  able  to  see  more  clearly  my 
surroundings :  though,  in  the  end,  such  knowledge, 
widely  diffused,  will  change  the  entire  character  of 
the  life  of  the  world  as  it  is  now  lived." 

"  Is  this  development,  through  you,  a  new  departure 
of  a  higher  civilization  ?  " 

"  No ;  at  long  intervals,  men  have  been  endowed  with 
rare  gifts  for  self-communion,  and  then  history  records 
of  them  the  acts  of  the  leaders  who  have  moved  the 
world.  It  has  given  the  martyrs  of  the  past  their  tran- 
quility under  the  fiercest  of  tortures.  For  who  can 
torture  the  soul  ?  The  man  who  comes  into  close 
inter-communion  with  his  higher  self  is  beyond  the 
range  of  earthly  power.  Every  great  thing  in  life 
comes  from  soul  development.  Every  inspiration  of 
the  poet,  the  artist,  the  musician,  is  the  record  of  the 
higher  self,  who  is  always  pure,  true  and  perfect  in  all 
things.  When  the  thread  of  communion  is  kept  per- 
fect, the  result  is  the  wonder  of  the  world,  and  the 
story  of  such  inspiration  goes  down  through  the  ages 
as  part  of  divine  history." 

"  Do  you  mean  by  that  to  refer  to  the  Christ  story  ?  " 


122  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

"  Just  that.  Jesus  Christ  is  the  one  and  only  man  who 
has  lived  upon  this  earth  entirely  in  harmony  and  in 
full  accord  with  the  divine  part  of  him — his  soul.  He 
knew  his  soul  as  no  one  since  has  ever  known  him  ; 
and  the  true  and  correct  story  of  his  life,  stripped  of 
all  idle  superstition  and  legend,  will  show  just  that. 
Through  his  complete  assimilation  to  the  perfect  con- 
dition of  his  soul  he  reached  the  full  limits  of  the 
higher  existence  in  this  world,  within  the  span  of  a 
single  life,  so  that  he  will  need  never  return — in  fact 
cannot  return  here — until  entire  humanity  upon  the 
earth  has  risen  to  the  standard  created  by  his  life." 

"Does  Doctor  Longman,  upon  the  Island  of  Nolos, 
really  represent  the  spirit  of  the  Christ  movement?" 

"  It  is  the  same  influence,  but  acting  under  different 
conditions,  suitable  to  the  growth  and  education  of  the 
world.  We  have  outgrown  the  age  of  simplicity,  and 
the  shell  of  selfishness  and  indifference  that  has  always 
ruled  and  controlled  the  mass  of  the  world  is  to  be  at- 
tacked in  another  way." 

"Why  is  it — if  every  man  contains  within  himself  the 
means  of  perfect  contentment  and  happiness — that  the 
source  of  such  happiness  is  kept  hidden  from  him  ? 
Why  is  not  every  man  given  a  chance  to  rise  to  the 
highest  powers  of  his  capacity?" 

"  Every  man  is  given  the  chance.  But  with  the  law 
of  free  will,  under  which  the  race  of  this  earth  has  been 
developed,  no  man  can  be  forced  in  the  direction  of 
either  evil  or  good.  He  is  allowed  to  follow  his  own 
inclination." 

"  But  how  can  you   explain   that   the  inclination   of 


A    MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  '  1 23 

nearly  every  one  is  not  towards  the  good  ?  Why  does 
not  the  divine  portion,  which  dwells  within,  as  you  say, 
have  a  greater  influence  ? " 

"  It  is  the  spirit  that  is  ever  separate  from  the  soul, 
until  perfection  is  reached,  that  controls  the  seat  of  in- 
telligence, where  is  germinated  the  base  of  every 
action." 

"  But,  if  the  spirit  controls,  what  becomes  of  free  will 
of  the  man  himself?  He  is  but  a  tool  in  the  hands  of  a 
spirit." 

"  Not  so.  The  spirit  is  all  that  there  is  to  man.  It 
dwells  within  the  inner  citadel  of  the  life  principle,  and 
to  all  essential  purposes  is  man  himself.  It  flashes 
the  messages  to  the  brain,  which  is  a  mere  instrument 
for  the  expression  of  the  will  of  the  spirit.  When  the 
spirit  departs,  the  brain  and  all  its  intricate  machinery, 
controlling  so-called  human  action,  falls,  an  inert  mass. 
The  spirit  is  the  interpreter  of  the  soul,  and,  through 
its  success  or  failure  in  this  regard,  marks  the  character 
of  the  man  as  he  moves  in  the  world  here  below." 

"  Does  the  spirit  see  clearly  ?  " 

"  Not  always.  If  it  did,  human  development  would 
be  much  more  rapid." 

"  Is  it  through  a  succession  of  existences  that  the 
spirit  finally  rises  to  perfect  union  with  the  soul?" 

"  It  is  through  such  means  alone  that  the  spirit  finally 
rises." 

"  But  how  can  there  be  a  gain  through  a  succession 
of  existences,  when  we  retain  no  consciousness  nor 
memory  of  previous  existences?  " 

''If   memory  were   given,  then   the  free  will  of   the 


124  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

spirit  would  be  fettered.  As  it  is,  the  spirit  rarely 
retrogrades.  There  is  always  a  slight  advance.  It  is 
like  the  creation  of  a  planet.  Time  does  not  count. 
If  a  hundred  million  of  years  are  passed  in  the  creation 
and  development  of  the  mere  material  elements  of  a 
sphere  in  the  Universe,  can  you  wonder  at  the  slow  de- 
velopment of  the  human  race  from  the  level  of  animal- 
ism to  the  height  of  divinity.  You  might  seek  to 
question  the  wisdom  of  creation,  by  asking  why  man 
should  have  been  created  imperfect ;  but  the  answer  to 
that  will  be  found  in  the  history  of  every  living  thing. 
From  imperfection  and  low  development  every  thing  of 
worth  has  come.  It  is  the  up-moving  scale  of  exist- 
ence that  is  established  in  accord  with  divine  law.  You 
might  ask,  with  equal  propriety,  why  are  not  planets 
launched  full,  completed,  blooming,  into  perfection  of 
existence,  instead  of  becoming  creatures  of  a  mighty 
evolution,  starting  from  a  center  of  fiery  and  furious 
gases.  Such  questions  cannot,  however,  reach  to  the 
dignity  of  criticism.  We  are  all  parts  of  an  endless 
chain  of  development.  Such  development  can  be  hast- 
ened by  individual  acts — by  following  the  law  which 
controls  that  development.  The  world,  through  all 
ages,  has  been  subject  to  tidal  waves  of  emotion  or 
feeling,  that  have  played  the  most  important  part  in  the 
history  of  the  development  of  the  race.  Sometimes 
this  has  been  through  some  long  and  cruel  war ; 
through  some  series  of  frightful  oppressions,  that  has 
awakened  the  dormant  sense  of  justice  among  the 
most  cruelly  indifferent ;  through  some  tide  of  senti- 
ment, that  has,  through  reformation,  changed  the  entire 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  1 25 

character  of  the  world  in  its  wide-reaching  effects. 
Such  a  movement  is  now  impending.  One  of  its  main 
stations  of  direction  is  upon  the  Island  of  Nolos ; 
while  this  country  will  be  the  theatre  of  its  most  active 
demonstration." 

"  Why  has  this  country  been  selected  ?  " 

"  The  movement  will  be  felt  in  all  so-called  civilized 
countries;  but  its  greatest  activity  and  influence  will  be 
in  the  United  States.  No  other  country  is  more 
steeped  in  materialism  and  selfishness.  It  is  here,  where 
the  crust  of  selfishness  has  been  the  thickest,  that  the 
volcanic  fires  of  the  new  movement  will  burst  forth 
with  the  greatest  force  and  energy.  Already,  signs  are 
multiplying  of  the  coming  change.  The  slight  escape 
of  steam  through  the  surface  that  marks  the  approach 
of  a  volcanic  eruption  is  to  be  seen  in  every  direction. 
During  the  last  few  years,  rich  men  actually  have 
begun  to  study  ways  and  means  to  do  good  with  their 
money.  The  great  gifts  to  the  public,  in  the  form  of 
institutions  of  help,  are  coming  forth  with  a  generosity 
and  a  thoughtfulness  unknown  in  history.  Instead  of 
leaving  their  gifts  to  be  distributed  after  they  are  dead 
and  gone,  rich  men  are  coming  to  regard  their  posses- 
sions as  trusts,  and  try,  during  their  lives,  to  discharge 
those  trusts  so  as  to  merit  the  approval  of  their  immor- 
tal souls — their  only  real  guides  and  companions." 

"  But,  why  have  you  never  spoken  to  me  of  this 
before  ?  " 

"  Because  you  were  not  in  harmony  with  your  own 
soul.  No  one,  who  was  as  indifferent  as  you  were 
when  I  first  knew  you,  would  have  cared  to  listen  to  the 


126  A    MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

message  of  a  new  propaganda.  Still  less  could  you 
have  become  a  leader.     But  now " 

"  Wherein  have  I  changed  ?  " 

"  I  see  you  active,  troubled,  hard  at  work,  trying  to 
save  some  one  else.  You  have  dropped,  for  the  time, 
all  thoughts  of  yourself,  and  so  you  have  earned  the 
right  to  be  introduced  to  your  immortal  soul." 

"  But,  my  dear  Captain  Harcourt,  you  honor  me 
without  sufficient  reason.  I  do  not  want  over-praise 
for  a  simple  act  of  duty  that  any  friend  would  per- 
form." 

"  When  one  performs  his  duty,  as  you  are  now  doing 
it,  with  fiery  heat  and  furious  energy,  I  repeat,  you 
are  fulfilling  the  higher  law.  I  may  never  find  you  at 
such  a  high  plane  of  personal  effort  again ;  and,  while 
you  are  there,  and  before  you  have  gone  back  to  the 
routine  indifference  of  your  ordinary  life,  I  propose  to 
show  you  the  actual  features  of  your  better  and  divine 
self." 

"  But  how  can  this  be  done  ?  " 

"  It  is  through  no  magic.  This  room  has  been  fitted 
up,  temporarily,  as  one  of  Doctor  Longman's  rooms,  in 
the  Island  of  Nolos.  These  hangings  are  from  there. 
The  entire  furniture  of  the  room  belongs,  for  the  time 
being,  to  him." 

"And  the  music  ?" 

"  It  is  the  echo  of  the  harmonies  always  heard  there." 

Here  the  Captain  said  :  "  Look  straight  ahead  and  you 
will,  for  a  time,  see  the  visions  that  should  be  at  the 
command  of  all." 

Scarcely  had  he  spoken,  when   all  sense   of  physical 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  1 27 

existence  departed  from  me.  All  consciousness  was 
concentrated  in  the  organ  of  vision,  upon  which,  with 
lightning-like  rapidity,  was  photographed  every  act 
and  scene  of  my  life.  The  walls  of  the  room  had  now 
disappeared,  and  through  whirling  mists  came  the 
visions,  disappearing  instantly  the  second  of  their  per- 
fect development.  I  no  longer  had  any  consciousness 
of  time.  The  music  that  accompanied  the  swift  changes 
wras  continuous,  most  low  and  sad,  wailing  over  mis- 
deeds, which  were  many,  only  rising  joyously  as  the 
good  came  to  the  surface.  I  sat  as  under  some  spell 
of  enchantment ;  but  I  have  never  experienced  so  much 
poignant  misery,  as  I  sat  and  watched  the  fast-flying 
scenes  of  my  life  of  pitiful  striving. 

I  will  not  attempt  to  describe  any  of  them.  Let 
their  memory  remain,  only,  to  me,  as  my  punishment. 
At  the  close,  there  was  a  triumphant  note  to  the  music  ; 
and  then,  when  the  harmony  pealed  the  highest  and 
most  triumphant,  the  cloud  parted,  and  I  saw  sitting 
before  me — myself.  Reclining  in  an  easy  chair,  clothed 
in  the  modern  dress  of  travel,  sat  my  exact  counterpart. 
Exact,  did  I  say :  exact  only  in  general  resemblance,  in 
every  detail  wholly  different — but,  yet,  different  in  a  way 
hard  to  describe — while  the  whole  was  such  an  apparent 
reproduction  of  my  individuality.  I  can  only  explain 
this  difference  by  saying  that  in  everything  he  was  per- 
fection. He  was,  apparently,  my  height,  no  taller  or 
shorter  ;  but  the  proportions  of  his  figure  to  this  height 
were  mathematically  correct.  Every  feature  of  the 
face  represented  actual  perfection  of  the  type  I  repre- 
sented.    Where  nature  had  just  missed  the  mark  with 


128  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

me,  here  was  the  measure  of  perfection  to  mark  the 
failure  or  imperfection.  His  complexion  was  trans- 
parent and  pure,  his  eyes  aglow  with  light  and  divine 
gentleness,  his  lips  warm  with  color,  parting  to  show 
teeth  of  dazzling  whiteness,  while  the  hair  which  clus- 
tered about  his  serene  face  was  as  fine  as  silk,  lying  in 
an  irregular  wavy  mass  around  the  face.  The  look  of 
kindness,  of  sympathy,  upon  this  face,  appealed  to  the 
depth  of  my  consciousness,  and  gave  me  a  pleasure  I 
had  never  known  before.  The  intimate  and  sympa- 
thetic knowledge  of  my  personality  that  shone  in  his 
face,  marked  the  closeness  of  the  tie  that  bound  us  to- 
gether. Ah  !  here,  at  last,  was  a  friend,  tried  and  true, 
who  could  never  fail  me,  who  could  never  misunder- 
stand me,  and,  however  wretchedly  I  should  fail, 
would  never  cease  to  love  me.  I  do  not  fear  the  charge 
of  egotism  in  my  sudden  worship  of  my  higher  self,  for 
he  was  everything  that  I  was  not,  and  to  praise  him 
does  not  in  any  way  commend  myself. 

It  was  a  strange  experience  to  sit  opposite  one's 
very  image,  and,  yet,  with  such  a  consciousness  of  in- 
feriority, as  if  one  were  in  the  presence  of  a  God. 

For  a  long  time  I  could  not  speak,  but  sat  and 
looked  into  the  face  of  my  inner  self,  visible  to  me  for 
the  first  time.  What  an  incentive  to  human  action,  to 
win  the  approval  of  such  a  lofty  being  !  Involuntarily, 
I  thought  what  sacrifices  would  I  not  make  to  please 
him.  My  mood  found  a  reflex  upon  his  face  in  a  smile 
of  the  most  gentle  tenderness,  and  then  I  found  cour- 
age to  speak. 

It  was  with  halting  phrase  that  I  spoke.      I  had  the 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  1 29 

timidity  and  uncertainty  of  a  child  in  the  presence  of 
one  it  both  loved  and  feared.  But,  in  a  few  moments,  I 
was  at  my  ease.  Then  the  conversation  opened — as  such 
an  one  must,  naturally,  have  begun — by  a  series  of  ques- 
tions and  answers.  The  hardest  thing  for  me  to  realize 
was  the  assertion  that  this  gracious  and  perfect  being 
was  part  of  me,  and  that  he  had  always  been.  Only  my 
blindness  and  ignorance  had  kept  me  from  him.  So 
I  ventured,  to  make  this  assurance  doubly  certain,  by 
asking : 

"  Have  you  always  been  with  me  ?  " 

"Always." 

"  And  always  will  be  ?  " 

"  We  cannot  be  separated.  Our  union  is  in  accord- 
ance with  divine  law,  which  is  fixed  and  immovable." 

"Are  you  always  willing  to  help  me  ?  " 

"  More  than  willing.  It  is  the  chief  object  of  my  ex- 
istence. In  our  union,  perfect  and  complete,  the  ad- 
vancement to  other  and  better  worlds  alone  can  come." 

"  Am  I  to  see  you  in  the  future  as  I  see  you  now  ?  " 

"  It  will  depend  upon  yourself." 

"  Do  you  mean  that  I  will,  of  my  own  volition,  sur- 
render the  privilege  of  seeing  and  talking  with  my 
perfect  self?  " 

"  It  is  more  than  possible." 

'•  What  could  tempt  me  to  give  up  such  a  priceless 
gift?" 

"  Everything  ;  anything.  The  fixed  habits  of  your 
life,  as  already  made,  are  not  to  be  broken  lightly.  You 
are  now  deeply  moved.  Communication  between  us 
is  perfectly  established  ;  but  your  spirit   is   not   in    real 


I30  A    MAN   AND    HIS   SOUL. 

sympathy  with  me — in  the  sense  that  it  will  desire  to 
continue  the  relations  now  so  completely  established. 
Your  brain  is  a  warehouse  of  impressions,  long  formed, 
which  is  opposed  to  me.  Nearly  every  impression  you 
will  receive  from  life  will  be  antagonistic  to  a  belief  in 
my  existence,  as  you  now  know  it.  To-morrow,  even, 
you  will  be  inclined  to  look  upon  the  experience  of 
this  night  as  a  pleasant  dream.  In  the  absence  of  Cap- 
tain Harcourt,  it  would  not  be  difficult  for  you  to  ex- 
plain to  your  satisfaction  the  occurrence  of  this  even- 
ing, in  accordance  with  your  preconceived  idea." 

"  Do  you  think  so  poorly  of  me  ?  "  As  I  said  "  of 
me  "  I  thought  of  the  complication  of  the  double  indi- 
viduality. Which  was  the  real  I  ?  Something  of  this  I 
put  in  clumsy  form. 

"  Your  real  individuality  is  in  the  spirit.  It  is  the 
you  that  exists  as  you  have  always  known  yourself.  I 
represent  your  future  existence,  when  you  have  passed 
through  the  trials  and  experiences  that  are  necessary 
to  educate  and  develop  the  spirit.  I  could  never  have 
a  poor  opinion  of  you,  nor  have  an  unkind  thought  to- 
ward you  ;  as  you  rise,  stumble  or  fall,  you  only  follow 
the  divine  law  of  evolution.  I  can  but  wait  patiently 
for  you.  I  shall  rush,  joyfully,  to  your  assistance,  when 
you  need  me,  if  you  call  upon  me  for  assistance." 

"  Then  it  is  among  the  possibilities  of  the  future  that 
I  shall  not  be  inclined  to  seek  your  companionship  as 
a  pleasure,  and  your  help  in  time  of  need  ?  " 

"  It  is  not  only  possible,  but  extremely  probable." 

There  was  an  accent  of  truth  in  this  that  compelled 
my    conviction.     Who   was   there    in    the   world  who 


A    MAX   AND    HIS   SOUL.  131 

really  desired  continually  to  live  up  to  his  higher  self  ? 
Was  I  to  consider  myself  an  exception  to  the  whole 
human  race  ? 

My  soul  continued  :  "  The  spirit  of  cruelty,  unkind 
ness  and  lack  of  charity  for  others  that  prevails  in  the 
human  race,  as  it  is  now  developed,  arises  from  the 
animal  nature,  which  has  come  up  through  cruel  strug- 
gles in  the  war  of  evolution.  The  human  race  has 
not  yet  passed  from  its  sphere  of  animalism,  but  it  is 
approaching  the  border  of  tetter  things." 

"In  what  way?  " 

"  In  the  ways  that  lead  men  to  believe  that  life  does 
not  begin  and  end  with  mere  materialism  ;  that  mere 
selfish  striving  is  worse  than  useless,  and  that  only  as 
one  approaches  to  the  ideal  within  himself,  can  there 
be  any  progress  in  the  direction  of  human  advance- 
ment." 

"  Does  not  religion  play  any  part  in  the  advancement 
of  the  race  ?  " 

"  It  is  an  element,  only.  It  belongs  to  the  child- 
hood of  man.  It  is  more  often  a  deterring  element. 
But,  what  is  often  called  religion,  is  anything  but  that. 
But  there  is  a  key-note  by  which  you  can  always 
iudge." 

"What  is  that?" 

"  The  instant  religion  departs  from  its  true  base  of 
love,  it  ceases  to  be  religion,  and  should  be  discarded. 
Where  it  shows  one  trace  of  lack  of  charity,  of  unkind- 
ness,  or  lack  of  mercy,  it  is  only  a  cloak  for  evil,  made 
more  odious  by  its  hypocrisy.  When  it  stoops  to 
cruelty  in  the  name  of  God,  who  is  the  incarnation  of 


132  A    MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

love,  then  there  stands  forth  the  most  formidable 
enemy  possible  to  the  human  race.  If  the  theological 
caricature  of  Satan  represented  anything  of  real  truth, 
then  you  can  imagine  no  more  perfect  type  of  devil 
than  he,  who,  in  the  name  of  an  all-powerful  and  all- 
loving  God,  strikes  at  his  fellow  man,  because,  having 
different  brain  formation,  or  differing  association  of 
ideas,  he  differs  from  him.  But  religion,  so  called,  with 
its  varying  forms  of  fetiches,  will  pass  as  the  period 
of  the  animal  development  of  man  is  passed. 

"  Will  this  period  be  long  ?  " 

"  In  the  movement  of  the  Universe  there  is  no  such 
thing  as  time.  The  movement  to  spiritualize  the  race 
has  always  existed.  It  is  shown  in  the  history  of  the 
race.  To-day  there  is  an  upheaval  against  materialism, 
against  the  dogmas  of  ancient  creeds,  and  a  freedom  of 
opinion  that  never  descends  to  license.  There  is  grow- 
ing up  an  individuality  of  opinion,  a  wholesome  courage 
in  reaching  out  into  unknown  fields,  which  marks  an 
advance  in  the  slow,  upward,  never-ending  march  of  a 
race  towards  its  ultimate  destiny  of  perfection  and  con- 
sequent happiness." 

"  Am  I  to  be  an  instrument  in  the  hands  of  this 
movement  ?  " 

"  If  you  will ;  but  its  success  depends  upon  no  indi- 
vidual. The  law  of  development  is  absolute.  All  who 
wish  to  be  better,  to  approach  more  closely  to  their 
better  selves,  are  the  wise  ones  of  the  earth,  in  that  they 
sooner  reach  real  happiness — and  that,  every  one  con- 
cedes, is  the  present  object  of  every  living  mortal — 
happiness.     But  that  happiness   is  only  to  be   found 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  133 

within  one's  self.  All  that  there  is  in  religion,  in  mere 
theory  or  dogma,  can  never  get  beyond  this ;  that 
perfect  happiness  lies  wholly  within  the  individual  him- 
self. He  who  conquers  himself,  and  rises  to  his  second 
self,  has  done  all  that  the  law  and  the  prophets  could 
require.  It  is  in  this  purification  and  strengthening  of 
the  individual  that  the  solution  of  the  problem  of  a 
higher  civilization  alone  can  be  reached.  Anything 
that  stimulates  the  individual  to  rise  to  the  standard 
which  dwells  within  himself  is  to  be  encouraged.  For 
it  is  within  one's  own  breast  that  God  alone  is  to  be 
found.  The  soul  is  a  part  of  His  essence,  and,  as  such, 
dwells  within  the  individual,  ready,  upon  the  instant, 
to  assist  him  to  rise,  and  ever  patient,  forgiving,  and 
always  loving,  no  matter  how  perverse  the  spirit,  or  how- 
ever persistent  the  rebellion  against  the  better  nature. 
"  The  idea  of  punishment  banishes  the  one  of  perfect 
love.  There  are  delays  on  the  road  of  progress,  by  at- 
tempts to  evade  the  law,  which  you  might  call  punish- 
ments ;  but,  ultimately,  all  will  arrive  at  perfect  harmony 
with  the  divinity  that  dwells  within  the  most  perverse, 
savage  or  cruel.  Look  at  human  laws,  modified  as  they 
have  been,  from  time  to  time,  by  the  advance  of  the 
race.  When  did  ever  the  most  cruel  punishments  act 
as  deterrents  to  the  commission  of  crime  ?  So  long 
as  the  cruelty  of  the  animal  period  continues,  you  will 
have  cruel  laws,  such  as  official  murder  in  revenge  for 
murder  committed,  and  the  barbarous  methods  em- 
ployed to  warp  and  degrade  the  unfortunate  crim- 
inal members  of  the  race,  under  the  plea  of  protection 
necessary  to  be  given  to  society." 


134  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

I  shall  never  forget  the  sense  of  exquisite  happiness 
that  permeated  my  heart,  as  I  sat,  during  this  first 
interview  with  my  immortal  self.  Just  when  the  visit 
ended  I  do  not  recall.  I  faintly  remember  going  to 
my  bedroom  in  the  early  morning,  where  I  soon  fell 
asleep.     I  awoke  at  ten  o'clock,  and  quickly  dressed. 

Yes  ;  my  soul  was  right.  In  the  sharp  light  of  the 
morning,  alone,  I  began  to  doubt.  The  experience 
was  a  charming  one  ;  but  was  it  a  reality  or  a  dream  ? 
What  skillful  illusion  had  not  Captain  Harcourt  been 
able  to  weave  about  me — but  with  what  object  ? 

Well,  whether  a  dream  or  no,  I  had  certain  duties  to 
perform,  and  no  anxiety  upon  any  subject,  whether 
spiritual  or  material,  was  going  to  make  me  forget  that. 


135 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

A   NOTEWORTHY    SENATORIAL    EPISODE,    WHICH    ENDS 
IN   A   CHALLENGE   TO    A   DUEL. 

Nothing  will  better  illustrate  the  overwhelming  im- 
pression made  upon  my  mind  by  the  incidents  of  the 
night  in  Captain  Harcourt's  room  than  the  fact  that  I 
was  made  to  forget,  for  the  time  being,  the  danger 
which  threatened  my  friend,  Ralph  Granger.  It  did 
not  occur  to  me,  during  this  first  interview  with  my  im- 
mortal soul,  to  ask  a  single  question  concerning  Ralph  ; 
and  no  thought  of  guidance  or  advice  suggested  itself 
during  this  first  memorable  conversation,  which  I  have 
reported  as  faithfully  as  possible  in  the  last  chapter. 

Something  of  this  occurred  to  me  the  next  morning, 
after  breakfast,  and  I  sought  Captain  Harcourt,  before 
going  out.  He  said  tome:  "That  need  not  trouble 
you.  The  influence  of  another  life,  as  represented  to  you 
last  evening,  relates,  entirely,  to  your  own  individuality. 
If  you  were  to  consult  your  second  self  upon  any  sub- 
ject which  occupies  you,  you  would  receive  no  special 
help  or  direction.  This  second  and  better  self  prefers 
to  never  interfere  with  the  individuality  of  the  person. 
It  is  for  you  to  work  out  your  own  destiny.  Certainly, 
none  of  the  higher  influences  of  your  life  could  lift  for 
you,  if  they  would,   the   veil   of  the  future.     You,  at 


I36  A   MAN   AND    HIS   SOUL. 

present,  are  involved  in  a  struggle,  which  is  a  great 
trial  to  you  ;  but  in  the  end,  it  will,  doubtless,  prove 
beneficial.  Whether  you  will  be  able  to  save  your 
friend  or  not,  lies  hidden  behind  the  veil,  which  none 
may  pierce.  It  is  for  you  to  go  ahead  and  do  the  best 
you  can.  When  you  have  done  all  that  can  be  done, 
your  duty  is  fulfilled.  If  you  are  called  upon  to  suffer, 
with  your  friend,  on  account  of  your  failure,  such  is  a 
part  of  your  destiny,  from  which  you  cannot  escape." 

I  must  confess  that  this  kind  of  talk  irritated  me. 
It  did  not  have  a  practical  sound,  so  I  said,  abruptly : 
"  Captain  Harcourt,  if  you  will  excuse  me,  I'll  not 
continue  this  abstract  conversation,  but  will  be  off  and 
at  work." 

I  went  straight  to  the  Capitol,  as  it  was  now  eleven 
o'clock.  I  sought  General  Starr  in  his  committee 
room,  where  he  had  only  just  arrived.  "  I  rather  ex- 
pected you  would  come,"  said  he,  "  and  destroy  the 
last  possibility  of  my  being  able  to  do  any  work  this 
morning.  The  President  sent  for  me  just  as  I  was 
leaving  the  house,  and  I  have  been  to  the  White  House 
again.  He  takes  an  altogether  different  view  of  the 
situation  this  morning.  He  is  anxious  to  avoid  any 
possible  scandal,  and,  if  Senator  Norton  would  give 
him  any  kind  of  an  opportunity  to  yield,  he  would 
change  front.  He  asked  me  to  go  to  the  Senator  and 
see  if  some  sort  of  compromise  could  not  be  arranged. 
For  once,  his  easy-going  temperament  has  triumphed 
over  his  vanity,  and  he  is  as  anxious  to  avoid  a  scandal 
as  Senator  Norton  could  desire.  But  what  can  you  do 
with  impracticable  people  ?     Norton  is  in  one  of  his 


A    MAX   AND   HIS   SOUL.  1 37 

exasperating  moods  this  morning.  He  has  the  air  of  a 
Julius  Caesar,  and  will  accept  nothing  but  an  uncon- 
ditional backdown  on  the  part  of  the  President.  The 
demands  which  he  has  made  are  impossible  to  fulfill, 
and  so,  between  the  weaknesses  of  two  vain  men,  our 
friend,  Granger,  will,  undoubtedly,  suffer.  Unless 
something  out  of  the  ordinary  way  happens,  I  do  not 
believe  that  Norton  will  be  thwarted  in  his  purpose  to 
force  Granger  out  of  the  Cabinet,  and  I  am  sure  the 
President  is  too  weak  a  man  to  cope,  as  a  politician, 
with  the  powerful  Senator.  If  he  had  any  bowels  of 
compassion,  or  any  real  breadth  of  view,  he  would  sur- 
render at  once,  for  the  sake  of  his  Cabinet  associate." 

When  I  left  the  General,  I  went  to  the  gallery  of  the 
Senate.  There  I  found  the  New  York  papers,  which 
had  just  arrived.  In  several  of  them  I  saw  a  mysteri- 
ous paragraph,  hinting  at  the  possibility  of  a  great 
development  in  the  fight  between  the  President  and 
Senator  Norton.  To  a  stranger,  these  paragraphs 
meant  nothing.  To  one  who  was  familiar  with  the 
situation,  their  mysterious  phrases  clearly  outlined  a 
threat.  Sensational  developments  were  promised. 
What  were  these  developments,  if  they  did  not  relate 
to  the  misfortune  of  Secretary  Granger? 

I  entered  the  correspondents'  gallery  of  the  Senate, 
after  reading  the  papers,  and  began  to  watch,  carefully, 
Senator  Norton,  just  as  the  Senate  opened.  There 
were  very  few  people  in  the  galleries  at  that  time. 
Senator  Norton  came  into  his  seat,  fresh  from  one  of 
the  bath-rooms  below  the  Senate,  curled  and  perfumed 
by  the    official   barber,  radiant  with  health,   physical 


138  A   MAN  AND   HIS   SOUL. 

superiority  and  intellectual  pride.  He  fairly  swaggered 
down  the  aisle  of  the  Senate  chamber,  and  took  his 
seat  with  an  aggressive  air  of  insolence,  that  was  par- 
ticularly noted  by  certain  Southern  senators,  who  sat 
near  him,  and  who  had  been  engaged  in  a  sharp  politi- 
cal controversy  with  him  the  day  before.  For  Senator 
Norton  was  a  Northern  senator,  of  an  extreme  partisan 
type.  He  believed  that  all  the  brains  and  intelligence 
of  this  country,  all  of  the  honesty,  and  all  of  the  real 
business  ability,  were  to  be  found  north  of  Mason  and 
Dixon's  line.  In  every  debate  in  the  Senate,  during 
the  winter  of  my  story,  he  had  gone  out  of  his  way  to 
harass  and  humiliate  the  Southern  senators.  The  day 
before,  he  called  attention  to  the  fact  that  upwards  of 
eighty  per  cent,  of  the  taxes  in  this  country  had  been 
paid  by  the  North,  and  that  the  small  percentage  of 
the  tax  paid  by  the  South  had  been  through  the 
Internal  Revenue  service,  or  impost  upon  whiskey  and 
tobacco.  The  subject  of  discussion  before  the  Senate 
was  one  relating  to  the  question  of  certain  expenditures 
by  the  United  States  Government.  It  was  in  this  de- 
bate that  this  haughty  Northern  senator  had  aggra- 
vated his  Southern  associates  to  the  pitch  of  madness 
by  the  impertinence  and  insolence  of  his  criticisms. 

The  prospect  of  a  repetition  of  this  satirical  and 
pointed  debate  filled  the  galleries  soon  after  the  Senate 
was  formally  opened.  In  the  front  seat  of  the  private 
gallery  of  the  Senate  there  came  a  noted  lady,  who 
had  filled  a  great  place  in  the  life  at  Washington.  She 
was  the  daughter  of  a  great  statesman  and  the  wife  of 
another — a  woman  who    had    been    presented   at   the 


A    MAN   AND    HIS    SOUL.  139 

various  courts  of    Europe,  and  whose  wealth  and   posi- 
tion had  given  her  every  opportunity  for  the   full  en- 
joyment of  high  social  power.     Although  forty  years 
of  age,  she  had  the  figure  of  a  young  girl,  while  only 
her  face  showed  the  traces  of  the  number  of  years  that 
had  passed.     She  had  been  given  to  many  flirtations, 
and  her  name  had  been  associated  questionably  with 
many  of  the  notable  men  in  the  brilliant   circle  of  that 
date.     These  flirtations  had  led  to  much  talk,  and,  ulti- 
mately, to  an  unofficial  separation  from  her  husband. 
Latterly,    Senator    Norton    had    become    one    of    her 
dancing  attendants,  and,  in  the   light  of   her   flatteries 
and  fascinations,  so   far   forgot   himself   as  to   be   pro- 
claimed everywhere  as  her  devoted  lover.    Yet,  with  the 
arrogance  usual  to  his  character,  he  pursued  the  way  of 
this  intrigue,  without  a  thonght  of  any  one  daring  to 
criticize  him,  and,  perhaps,  thinking— so  great  was  his  ab- 
sorption— that  no  one  noticed  his  actions  in  this  regard. 
The  relations  between  the  two  were  almost  official 
in  their  character,  and   Mrs.   Ray  had  been   so   care- 
less upon  her  side  that  even   easy-going  Washington 
had  been  forced  to  cut  her  acquaintance,  and  the   bril- 
liant dinners  and  receptions,  which  knew  her  once,  now 
saw  her    only   occasionally,   and   then   under   protest; 
had  it  not  been  for  the  still  powerful  influence  of  her 
father,  she  would  have  been  utterly  dropped.     As  she, 
languidly,  took  her  seat  in  the  front  row  of  the  private 
gallery,  she  made  a  striking  picture,  in  contrast  with 
the  prim  dames,  who   are,  ordinarily,  to  be  found  in 
this   enclosure.     She  was  a   pale   blonde,  who  wore, 
upon   this   occasion,   a   dark,   jet-beaded    bonnet,   that 


I4-0  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

stood  out  in  strong  contrast  against  her  golden  hair. 
A  white,  dotted  veil,  closely  drawn,  concealed  the 
wrinkles  of  her  face,  and  made  her  look  young.  Her 
slight  figure  was  clothed  in  a  gray,  tailor-made  suit,  that 
stood  out  in  sharp  contrast  against  the  dark,  fur-lined 
wrap,  which  fell  from  her  narrow,  straight  shoulders,  as 
she  took  her  seat.  Clapping  her  lavender-gloved 
hands,  in  quite  the  official  manner  of  the  senators 
below,  she  summoned  a  neat  page  in  attendance  at  the 
door.  He  came  to  her,  bowing.  She  made  a  request, 
and,  in  a  moment,  he  returned  with  pencil  and  paper. 
Then,  with  an  instant  comprehension,  which  Washing- 
ton has  of  every  incident  of  this  kind,  it  was  made 
known,  through  the  galleries,  that  Mrs.  Ray  was  about 
to  write  a  note  to  Senator  Norton.  Senator  Norton, 
himself,  turned  about  in  his  chair,  and  looked,  in  the 
most  ostentatious  way,  at  her,  and  then  she  looked 
back  at  him,  with  a  sly  droop  of  her  gray  eyes,  which 
argued  an  innocence,  on  her  part,  hardly  in  keeping 
with  her  character.  In  the  most  conspicuous  body  in 
the  country,  where  every  trivial  incident  is  the  subject 
of  gossip,  these  two  people  had,  apparently,  the  fatuity 
to  suppose  that  they  were  unobserved  and  uncriticized. 
In  a  moment,  the  note  was  finished,  and  then  the  great 
Senator,  who  was  then  engaged  in  the  fight  of  his  life, 
arose,  with  an  assumption  of  carelessness  that  would 
not  have  deceived  a  child,  and  backed  up,  through  the 
middle  aisle,  to  the  main  entrance  of  the  Senate 
Chamber.  There  he  stood,  with  hands  behind  him, 
awaiting  the  secret  delivery  of  a  note  which  everybody 
had  seen  written  ;  and,  when  the  little,  blonde-headed 


A    MAN    AND    HIS   SOUL.  141 

page  came  into  the  door,  and  actually  placed  the  note 
within  the  expectant  hand  of  the  statesman,  who  stood 
in  the  easy  posture  of  a  man  absorbed  in  very  serious 
thoughts,  a  smile  of  amusement  ran  round  the  entire 
galleries.  Powerful  glasses  were  brought  to  bear 
upon  the  Senator,  and  it  is  more  than  probable  that 
the  contents  of  the  note  itself  were  made  known  to  a 
number  in  the  gallery,  just  above  his  head,  as  he  spread 
it  out,  with  great  impatience,  and  read  it,  the  moment 
he  returned  to  his  desk. 

The  incident  is  worthy  of  mention  only  on  account 
of  its  relation  to  this  story.  During  the  last  part  of  it, 
Mrs.  Granger,  accompanied  by  the  Private  Secretary 
of  the  President  of  the  United  States,  came  into  the 
diplomatic  gallery,  and  took  a  seat  in  the  front  row, 
next  to  the  iron  grille,  which  separated  it  from  the 
private  gallery,  where  Mrs.  Ray  was  sitting.  The  two 
women  were  not  over  a  foot  apart.  Mrs.  Granger 
deliberately  turned  her  shoulder  from  Mrs.  Ray,  and, 
from  the  look  upon  the  latter's  face,  it  was  clear  that 
there  was  another  element  to  be  considered  in  Senator 
Norton's  fight  with  the  President. 

The  incident  of  the  note  passed  around  the  galleries 
as  a  subject  of  amusing  gossip,  and,  after  a  time,  it 
reached  the  diplomatic  box,  where  it  was  related  to  the 
President's  private  secretary.  Ordinarily,  the  Private 
Secretary  of  the  President  of  the  United  States  hears 
nothing  except  applications  for  office.  It  was  such 
a  refreshing  change  for  Colonel  Wren,  the  private 
secretary  in  question,  that  he  looked  as  hilarious  as  his 
dignity  would  permit.     He   craned  his  neck  over  the 


142  A   MAN   AND    HIS   SOUL. 

gallery,  and  furtively  watched  Senator  Norton  and 
Mrs.  Ray  for  some  time.  It  was  evident  that  he  was 
seeking  to  gather  in  the  full  bearing  of  the  story  for  a 
report  to  his  master  in  the  White  House.  I  was  sorry 
that  Mrs.  Granger  was  present,  and  that  she  had  been 
forced  to  cut  Mrs.  Ray  in  so  conspicuous  a  public 
place.  I  knew  that  she  had  enemies  enough,  without 
having  the  enmity  of  a  vindictive  woman,  who  was,  at 
that  time,  so  closely  allied  with  Senator  Norton,  to 
increase  the  adverse  influences  gathered  about  her. 

A  few  moments  after  this,  Senator  Norton  moved  to 
go  into  executive  session,  and  the  galleries  were 
cleared.  The  motion  was  made  for  the  purpose  of 
considering  the  obnoxious  nominations  made  by  the 
President.  When  the  great  doors  of  the  Senate 
chamber  were  closed  against  the  public,  I  was  confi- 
dent that  there  would  be  no  longer  any  delay  in  an 
open  demonstration  of  hostility  by  Senator  Norton. 

I  was  particularly  impressed  by  the  malignant  look 
on  Mrs.  Ray's  face,  as  she  rose  to  leave  the  gallery. 
She  glanced,  at  first,  to  Senator  Norton,  to  call  his 
attention,  and  then  back,  up  to  Mrs.  Granger,  nodding 
her  head  emphatically  as  she  signaled  to  him.  This  plain 
evidence  of  her  knowledge  of  the  situation  was  another 
one  of  the  singular  actions  of  this  noted  couple  in  the 
face  and  eyes  of  one  of  the  most  curious  and  observing 
of  publics. 

The  Senate  remained  in  executive  session  for  several 
hours.  The  officials  who  were  attendant  upon  that 
body  came  out  from  time  to  time,  and  their  faces  were 
so  colored  with  excitement,  that  the  outside  corps  of 


A    MAN    AND    HIS    SOUL.  143 

newspaper  watchers  became  convinced  that  something 
very  unusual  was  going  on  inside.  The  executive  ses- 
sions of  the  Senate  are  secret  only  in  name.  In  these 
sessions,  nominations  and  treaties  are  considered. 
These  secret  sessions  are  rigidly  adhered  to  by  the 
exclusive  Senate,  although,  so  far  as  the  public  is  con- 
cerned, their  transactions  might  as  well  be  conducted 
in  open  day.  The  senators  are,  practically,  on  their 
honor,  not  to  tell  what  occurs  during  these  sessions  ;  but 
no  method  has  ever  been  discovered  for  making  more 
than  fourscore  men  keep  secrets,  and  so  full  details  , 
of  everything  leaks  out,  in  some  irregular  way,  within 
the  shortest  possible  time  after  each  session  is  closed. 
The  Senate  doors  were  closed  until  late  that  after- 
noon. I  returned  up-town  before  the  adjournment 
took  place,  and  it  was  not  until  later  that  evening  that 
I  learned  the  occasion  of  the  extraordinary  prolonga- 
tion of  the  secret  session. 

That  evening  I  had  been  invited  to  dine  at  General 
Starr's.  The  guests  were  largely  official,  and  we  went 
into  the  dining-room  about  half-past  seven.  Mrs. 
Granger  was  among  the  guests,  and  I  was  seated  not 
far  from  her  in  the  order  of  the  arrangement  of  the 
table.  It  was  her  last  public  appearance  in  Washing- 
ton society.  Mrs.  Starr  was  obliged  to  excuse  the 
absence  of  her  husband  from  the  dinner-table.  He  had 
not  yet  returned  from  the  Senate.  There  were  two  other 
empty  chairs  at  this  table— those  of  other  senatorial 
guests.  About  nine  o'clock,  the  three  missing  senators 
came  in.  They  were  inflamed  with  excitement,  and 
pallid    from   fatigue.      The    prolonged    session   of    the 


144  A   MAN   AND    HIS   SOUL. 

Senate  had  been  the  subject  of  a  great  deal  of  gossip 
at  the  dinner-table  ;  but,  when  the  senators  arrived,  no 
one  thought  to  question  them  until  the  preceding  courses 
of  the  dinner  had  been  served  to  them,  and  enough 
had  been  drank  to  restore  them  to  the  normal  condi- 
tion of  comfort,  when  gossip  begins,  and  flows  on  like 
an  unending  stream. 

There  was  no  sensational  recital  of  what  had  oc- 
curred, but,  by  piecemeal,  it  came  out,  through  chance 
remarks  of  the  various  senators  to  those  immediately 
about  them,  that  Senator  Norton  had  been  most  con- 
spicuous in  the  debate  upon  the  appointments  in  ques- 
tion, and  had  made  a  perfectly  furious  attack  upon  the 
President.  In  his  talk,  he  had  been  so  careless  as  to  again 
stir  up  the  Southern  senators,  who  had  not  yet  gotten 
over  their  quarrel  of  the  day  preceding.  One  Southern 
senator  in  question,  a  former  General  in  the  Confeder- 
ate service,  had  dared  to  stand  up  for  the  President, 
although  not  in  political  sympathy  with  him.  Senator 
Norton  had  turned  upon  him  with  lightning-like  fury, 
openly  calling  him  a  "  toady,"  and  directly  accusing 
him  of  having  made  a  bargain  with  the  President,  ex- 
changing his  services  for  some  dirty,  little  office.  This 
brought  the  Southern  General  to  the  front.  With 
eyes  flashing  fire,  and  a  voice  trembling  with  emotion, 
and  hoarse  with  rage,  he  went  to  the  extreme  of  insult 
by  calling  Senator  Norton  a  liar.  There  were  no  doubt- 
ful phrases  used  in  the  conversation  that  ensued.  The 
plainness  of  speaking  led  to  violent  protests  on  both 
sides  of  the  Chamber  from  senators  who  were  anxious 
to  save  the  dignity  of  that  body  above  all  things.    The 


A    MAN    AND    HIS   SOUL.  145 

Southern  senator  was  so  wild  and  uncontrollable  that 
his  friends  could  not  help  his  challenging  Senator 
Norton  to  mortal  combat. 

It  sounds  very  childish  ;  but  the  discussion  which  fol- 
lowed related  entirely  to  this  challenge.  The  Southern 
General  insisted  that  it  was  the  only  way  to  curb  the 
insolence  of  such  a  man  as  Senator  Norton.  He  doubted 
whether  Senator  Norton  would  care  to  go  out  against 
him ;  but  he  felt  his  duty,  as  a  Southern  gentleman, 
was  to  send  the  challenge,  and  he  notified  Senator 
Norton,  at  the  close  of  their  controversy,  that  he  would 
hear  from  him  again. 

The  strangest  part  of  the  story  was  that  Senator 
Norton  was  resolved  to  accept  the  challenge,  and  fight 
the  duel,  if  necessary.  A  committee  of  senators  was 
appointed  to  adjust  the  difficulty,  and,  for  the  first 
time  in  the  history  of  that  body,  this  august  assem- 
blage was  obliged  to  officially  recognize  the  fact  of  the 
duel,  and  appoint  a  committee  to  settle  the  question  of 
personal  insult,  according  to  the  principles  of  the  code 
of  honor. 

It  was  not  until  the  ladies  had  retired  from  the  table 
that  we  got  the  full  particulars.  The  ex-Confederate 
General,  who  challenged  Senator  Norton,  had  made 
use  of  certain  expressions,  in  the  heat  of  his  anger, 
which  plainly  pointed  to  the  relations  then  existing  be- 
tween Senator  Norton  and  Mrs.  Ray.  It  was  brought 
out  by  a  question  of  personal  loyalty,  where  the 
Southern  General  more  than  intimated  that  the  Senator 
had  better  raise  any  other  question  than  one  of 
personal    loyalty    of    character.      He    made    a    direct 


146  A   MAN   AND    HIS   SOUL. 

reference  to  this  intrigue,  which  had  been  so  conspic- 
uously made  prominent  in  the  open  sessions  of  the 
Senate  that  day.  It  was  this  allusion  which  provoked 
Senator  Norton  to  such  a  condition  that  he  was  willing 
to  accept  the  challenge. 

It  was  in  the  quiet  talk  after  dinner  that  General 
Starr,  sarcastically,  reviewed  the  situation.  "  We  are 
supposed  to  be  statesmen,"  said  he,  "  and  there  is  a 
current  impression  throughout  the  country  that  we  are 
here  for  the  purpose  of  serving  the  public  ;  yet,  I  have 
never  known  a  time  in  the  history  of  the  Senate  when 
there  was  so  much  silly,  boyish  quarreling  about  noth- 
ing, and  such  an  absolute  forgetting  of  all  of  our  real 
duties.  Take  Norton ;  if  his  worst  enemy  was  at 
present  directing  him,  he  could  not  lead  him  into  more 
open  traps.  He  is  a  man  of  great  ability,  and  of  high 
character,  as  men  go.  He  is  incapable  of  making  a 
dishonest  penny,  and  no  one  could  improperly  influence 
his  vote  in  any  direction,  and,  yet,  here  he  is,  running 
the  road  to  ruin  as  fast  as  any  man  can  go.  He  began 
this  fight,  with  the  President,  with  some  basis  of  politi- 
cal reason  ;  but  he  has  carried  it  to  such  an  extreme 
that  he  cannot  hope  for  public  approval.  When  a  man 
is  going  to  engage  in  such  a  fight  as  that,  he  should,  at 
least,  observe  prudence  in  regard  to  his  private  con- 
duct. After  compromising  himself  openly,  in  a  personal 
way,  he  has  not  had  strength  of  mind  enough  to  refuse 
this  challenge,  which,  of  course,  can  only  result  in 
ridicule.  The  day  of  dueling  in  Washington  has 
passed.  Why,"  said  the  General,  "  it  was  only  the 
other  day  that  I,  myself,  had  the  honor  of  receiving  a 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  147 

challenge.  It  came  from  a  Georgia  member  of  the 
House,  who  objected  to  something  that  I  said  in  an 
open  debate  in  the  Senate.  He  actually  sent  two  of 
his  friends  to  me.  They  came  to  me  on  the  Senate 
floor,  and  presented  the  challenge.  I  read  it  through, 
and,  then,  tore  it  in  two,  in  their  faces,  and  cast  it  in  the 
waste  basket.  They  asked  if  that  was  my  answer,  and 
I  said :  '  My  dear  swashbuckler  friends,  I  have  not 
lived  to  my  time  of  life  for  nothing.  I  do  not  propose 
to  make  a  fool  of  myself  now.  If  you  think  it  is  a 
question  of  courage,  why,  let  it  go  at  that.  Stay;  I 
will  send  a  message  back.  Tell  your  friend  who  sent 
the  challenge  that,  if  he  dares  to  take  up  the  subject 
with  me  personally,  I  will  give  him  the  biggest  thresh- 
ing he  ever  had  in  his  life,'  and  this,"  added  the  Gen- 
eral, "  was  the  end  of  the  proposed  duel." 

When  we  entered  the  drawing-room,  I  found  Mrs. 
Granger  still  among  the  guests.  She  never  looked 
more  radiantly  beautiful  than  then.  She  sat  in  an 
easy  chair,  under  the  full,  blazing  light  of  huge  chande- 
liers. Her  evening  dress,  which  followed  closely  the 
lines  of  her  beautiful  figure,  was  black  lace,  accentu- 
ated by  bits  of  orange  color,  in  the  form  of  knots 
of  ribbon,  and  a  line  here  and  there  of  very  narrow, 
delicate  embroidery.  Her  blue-black  hair,  combed  up 
high  from  her  forehead,  was  carried  back  in  a  Grecian 
knot.  A  diamond  star  gleamed  in  the  dark  mass,  the 
single  ornament  of  her  royally-posed  head.  The  fatigue 
and  excitement  of  the  last  few  days  gave  a  delicate  tint 
of  pallor  to  her  dark-olive  face.  Her  eyes  were  un- 
usually dark  and  brilliant.     No  one,  who  did  not  know 


148  A   MAN   AND    HIS   SOUL. 

her  well,  would  have  thought  that  there  was  anything 
in  the  world  that  could  annoy  or  disturb  her.  As  I 
came  up,  several  members  of  the  diplomatic  colony 
stood  about  in  attitudes  of  polite  admiration.  As  I 
entered  the  room,  she  summoned  me  to  her  by  a  quiet 
glance,  and  then,  by  some  mysterious  process,  those 
about  her  were  dismissed,  without  their  apparently 
knowing  it,  and  we  were  left,  for  the  moment,  alone. 

Waving,  calmly,  to  and  fro,  a  brilliantly  scarlet  fan, 
she  said  in  even-measured  tones:  "I  am  much  obliged 
to  you  for  what  you  have  done,  but  you  will  not  suc- 
ceed in  saving  me.  Just  before  I  left  the  house  this 
evening,  my  husband  received  a  sealed  package  from  a 
messenger,  who  came  into  the  library  as  I  was  bidding 
him  good-bye  for  the  evening.  He  was  obliged  to  ex- 
cuse himself  from  coming  to  this  dinner,  for  the  Presi- 
dent sent  word  during  the  latter  part  of  the  afternoon 
that  he  wished  to  see  him  during  that  evening  on  a 
matter  of  great  importance.  I  know,  from  the  look  upon 
his  face,  after  he  had  opened  the  package,  and  read 
the  first  letter  that  some  one  had  sent  to  him,  for  his 
private  perusal,  the  story  which  Senator  Norton  showed 
to  you.  As  he  glanced  at  the  first  letter,  he  thrust  the 
whole  package  into  his  desk  and  locked  it.  He  then 
turned  to  me,  and  said  that  I  would  have  to  excuse 
him,  as  he  was  going  to  the  White  House,  and  was 
already  behind  time.  From  his  manner,  I  did  not  in- 
fer that  he  really  grasped  the  case  in  its  relations  to 
me.  As  I  came  out  of  the  house  to  come  here,  I  saw 
Mrs.  Ray  seated  in  a  hansom  cab  upon  the  opposite 
corner,  paying  the  very  messenger,  who  had  just  left 


A    MAX    AND    HIS    SOUL.  I49 

my  husband's  library.  So  I  conclude  that  all  that 
Senator  Norton  knew,  she  knew,  and  that  that  infor- 
mation is  now  in  my  husband's  hands,  and  that  I  go 
from  here  to  an  explanation  which,  probably,  will  re- 
sult disastrously." 

I  could  not  control  myself  as  she  did.  It  is  only 
women  who  can  do  that,  carry  a  calm  face  over  a  tort- 
ured heart  in  the  face  of  the  enemy,  the  public.  I 
made  some  involuntary  expression  of  sympathy,  when 
she  checked  me,  with  a  glance,  as  she  continued  :  "  I 
think,  on  the  whole,  I  am  relieved.  The  suspense,  at 
least,  is  over.  I  have  felt  confident,  all  the  time,  that 
this  would  come  to  my  husband's  knowledge,  and  that 
life,  hereafter,  as  I  have  lived  it,  would  be  impossible. 
I  have  firmly  resolved  to  admit  everything,  and  to  have 
no  further  deception.  This  I  do  with  the  full  knowl- 
edge that  my  husband  will  not  forgive  me,  and  that 
the  sin  which  I  have  committed,  although  not  one  of 
deliberate  planning,  is  one  which  he  will  regard  as  the 
greatest  of  all,  in  that  it  affects  his  financial  honor." 

With  this,  she  arose  with  gentle  courtesy,  and  bade 
farewell  to  her  hostess,  and  the  group  of  friends  about 
her.  I  walked  out  with  her  to  her  carriage,  and  saluted 
her,  with  tears  in  my  eyes,  as  she  sank  back  with  a 
short  sigh  and  said  to  the  coachman  :  "  Drive  home." 
There  was  an  unintentional  pathos  in  the  accent  and 
expression  in  her  pronunciation  of  the  word  "home," 
which  moved  me  deeply.  This  woman  had  committed 
a  serious  fault,  but  she  went  forward  to  meet  its  conse- 
quences with  a  courage  which,  in  my  judgment,  more 
than  offset  the  error  committed. 


150 


CHAPTER  XV. 

PICTURES   OF  THE   SCENES   IN   THE    GRANGER    HOUSE- 
HOLD  TRAGEDY. 

I  hurried  straight  back  to  the  hotel,  and  sought  out 
Captain  Harcourt's  room.  I  found  him,  as  before, 
seated,  looking  off  and  out  at  what  he  called  pictures 
painted  for  him  by  his  immortal  soul. 

It  was  midnight  when  I  entered  the  room.  I  found 
again  the  Oriental  setting  of  the  chamber  of  the  night 
before,  and  this  sight  thrilled  me  with  the  hope  that  I 
might  once  more  meet,  in  the  hour  of  this  dire  emer- 
gency, my  second  self,  and  from  him  obtain,  perhaps,  a 
suggestion  of  something  to  be  done.  It  was  the  first 
time  during  the  day  that  I  had  really  thought  of  him, 
or  had  had  any  real  desire  to  see  him. 

Scarcely  had  I  seated  myself,  when  Captain  Har- 
court  said  :  "  You  have  returned  at  an  earlier  hour 
than  I  expected  you.  Do  you  care  again  to  meet  your 
second  self?  Because  you  must,  first,  have  the  wish, 
and,  second,  you  would  be  helpless  iny  our  desire  to 
see,  if  you  did  not  have,  for  the  first  few  times,  the 
aid  of  some  one  initiated  in  these  mysteries." 

I  gave  him  my  hand,  and  I  noted  that  the  Captain's 
hand,  as  it  returned  the  pressure,  gave  me  a  sensa- 
tion of  wholesome  strength.     His  hand    marked    the 


A    MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  1 5  I 

maximum  of  electrical  conditions,  by  being  dry,  warm, 
throbbing  through  every  vein  with  an  exquisite 
vitality. 

The  next  moment,  the  blue  clouds  hovered  between 
us,  and  then,  as  they  cleared,  I  saw  that  a  third  indi- 
viduality, that  of  my  soul,  had  again  joined  us.  He 
was  seated  opposite  me,  with  the  same  tranquil  ex- 
pression on  his  face,  and  the  same  look  of  kindness  he 
had  the  night  before.  "  You  see,"  said  I,  "  I  really  did 
want  to  see  you  again." 

"Yes  ;  your  desire  is  not  wholly  unexpected.  I  said 
that  it  was  possible,  and  even  probable,  that  you  should 
not  care  to  see  me  again,  but  in  time  of  trouble,  when 
all  ordinary  resources  fail  one,  people  sometimes  turn 
to  extraordinary  means.  You  started  out  this  morning, 
confident  that  you  could  do  something.  To-night  you 
have  come  to  me,  and  so  acknowledge  your  defeat." 

"  Yes  ;  it  is  true,  I  have  done  all  that  I  can,  and  I  see 
nothing,  now,  but  failure  for  all  my  efforts.  Can  you 
help  me  ?  " 

"  I  do  not  possess  any  power  that  you  do  not  have. 
I  am  of  you.  If  I  have  powers  of  seeing  more  clearly 
than  you  do,  and  of  judging  more  correctly,  that  is 
only  where  I  would  surpass  you  in  an  effort  to  right 
such  a  grievous  wrong  as  the  one  you  have  had  in  your 
mind  during  the  last  two  days  ;  but  what  is  taking  place 
now  is  in  accordance  with  law.  The  family  which 
you  know,  is  broken  up,  and  their  happiness,  as  gener- 
ally understood,  destroyed  ;  but,  yet,  the  after-results 
will  be  good.  Each  has  to  learn  his  lesson  in  the 
world.     The  character  of  your  friend,  Mr.    Granger,  is 


152  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

that  of  a  just  man — but  justice  as  construed  and  under- 
stood by  the  world  at  large.  He  is  what  the  world 
would  call  a  perfectly  just  man ;  and,  being  that,  he  is 
a  perfectly  merciless  one.  Such  justice  your  friend, 
Granger,  has  shown  to  his  wife.  What  the  world  will 
be  pleased  to  call  a  tragedy,  has  already  taken  place  in 
their  house." 

"What  do  you  mean?"  said  I. 

"  Would  you  like  me  to  describe  the  scene  that  took 
place  in  that  household,  upon  Mrs.  Granger's  return  ? 
For  you  know  that  the  eyes  of  the  soul  pierce  through 
material  things,  and  I  have  seen  every  detail  of  that 
story,  which  will  seem  so  sad  to  you,  from  the  first  to 
the  conclusion." 

"  The  conclusion  ?  " 

"  Yes  ;  the  conclusion  ;  but  it  would  be  better,  perhaps, 
for  me  to  give  you  that  story,  as  it  occurred,  in  a  series 
of  pictures.  You  shall  be  given,  for  the  time,  my  eyes, 
and  you  shall  see  as  I  have  seen,  and  you  shall  hear  as 
I  have  heard,  the  conclusion  of  this  chapter." 

The  great  walls  of  the  room  opposite  now  disap- 
peared. There  was  a  sound  of  murmuring  music,  a 
shifting,  gray,  cloud  mass  fell  for  a  moment,  and  then 
the  curtain  rose,  disclosing,  like  a  set  scene  upon  the 
stage,  the  interior  of  the  library  of  the  Granger  house- 
hold. It  was  a  room  with  which  I  was  thoroughly 
familiar.  I  saw,  again,  its  long  line  of  books,  its  easy 
chairs,  its  dark  rugs  and  polished  floor,  dimly  lighted 
by  a  swinging  light,  which  hung  over  a  great  central 
desk,  in  front  of  which  sat,  pale,  stern  and  waiting, 
Secretary   Ralph    Granger.     I    hardly  recognized    my 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  1 53 

friend.  His  look  of  confident,  cheerful  serenity  was 
gone  ;  it  had  given  way  to  the  severe,  grave  lines  of  a 
judge,  waiting  for  a  prisoner,  charged  with  high  crime, 
about  to  be  brought  before  him.  He  had  just  returned 
from  his  conference  with  the  President,  and  had  learned 
from  the  latter  of  the  threatened  line  of  attack  of  Sena- 
tor Norton.  He  had  learned,  only,  from  the  President 
that  Senator  Norton  proposed  to  drive  him  out  of 
the  Cabinet,  but  the  means  to  be  employed  were  not 
then  disclosed  to  him.  Confident  in  his  own  honor 
and  integrity,  he  had  returned  home  about  eleven 
o'clock,  and  had  sought  the  refuge  of  his  library ; 
when  there,  he  remembered  the  package  that  was 
brought  to  him  early  in  the  evening.  It  now  flashed 
upon  him  that  the  solution  of  the  mystery  might  be 
found  in  this  package.  He  had  just  finished  reading  its 
contents,  when  the  scene  in  his  chamber  was  laid  open 
to  my  eyes.  I  saw  him  rise  and  pace  the  floor  like 
one  distraught,  and  then,  remembering  the  necessity 
for  control,  saw  him  call  a  servant,  and  heard  him 
say  to  him :  "  Tell  Mrs.  Granger,  the  moment  she 
comes  in,  to  kindly  come  to  the  library,  as  I  have  some- 
thing of  importance  to  say  to  her."  Involuntarily,  I 
trembled  at  the  deliberate  accent  of  this  calm  order.  I 
remembered,  my  friend  was  never  so  deeply  wrought 
as  when  he  appeared  to  be  the  most  quiet  and  self- 
contained.  In  ordinary  intercourse,  he  was  expansive 
and  buoyant.  A  reserved  manner,  and  a  low,  even 
tone,  indicated,  always,  with  him  suppressed  excitement. 
After  the  order  was  given,  there  followed  a  few  mo- 
ments of  silence,  during  which  Mr.  Granger  returned  to 


154  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

the  packet  and  its  contents,  which  were  all  spread  out 
in  the  glare  of  the  central  light. 

It  was  a  curious  sensation  to  sit,  watching  the  pro. 
gress  of  events  which  had  already  occurred.  The 
reconstitution  of  the  scene  of  the  Granger  household 
made  much  more  of  an  impression  on  my  mind,  for  the 
moment,  through  the  possibilities  of  its  being  done, 
rather  than  by  the  incidents  themselves  as  they 
were  presented.  But  this  was  only  for  a  moment, 
Suddenly,  I  heard  the  sharp  click  of  horses'  hoofs 
on  the  smooth  asphalt  pavement,  then  the  opening 
of  a  carriage  door,  the  ring  of  a  bell,  the  opening 
of  the  heavy  front  door,  the  casual  directions  to  the 
servant ;  then  my  heart  throbbed  with  pity  as,  with  my 
sharpened  sense,  I  heard  the  soft  footfalls  of  Mrs. 
Granger,  going  straight  down  through  the  hall  to  the 
library,  where  her  husband  was  waiting  for  her. 

The  scene  in  the  library  now  became  even  more 
sharply  accentuated.  I  could  see  every  line  in  Gran- 
ger's face.  With  an  impulsive  man  there  might  have 
been  the  cry  of  anger  at  the  sight  of  his  wife,  who 
came  in  easy,  calm,  and  apparently  indifferent,  as  if 
scandal  and  intrigue  were  far  away  from  her  serene, 
calm  countenance. 

Yet,  there  was  a  look  on  her  face  which  showed  that 
she  knew.  But  Mr.  Granger,  in  his  perfect  justice,  met 
her  with  more  than  usual  courtesy.  He  said  :  "  If  you 
are  not  too  tired,  I  should  like  to  talk  with  you  about  a 
subject  which  has  been  brought  to  my  attention  this 
evening,  and  which,  to  all  appearances,  should  interest 
you  personally." 


A    MAN    AND    HIS    SOUL.  1 55 

Mrs.  Granger  sank  down  in  the  chair  opposite  the 
desk  from  her  husband,  and  supporting  herself  on  one 
elbow  on  the  desk,  she  half  turned  to  him,  with  an  air 
of  polite  inquiry.  As  she  thus  turned,  the  rich,  dark, 
furred  cloak  slipped  down  from  her  ivory-tinted  shoul- 
ders, leaving  the  delicate  lines  of  her  figure  in  clear  re- 
lief against  this  warm,  rich  background.  While  her  hus- 
band gathered  up  the  papers  in  front  of  him,  she,  with 
great  deliberation,  unbuttoned  and  removed  the  long, 
white  gloves  which  had  reached  nearly  to  the  shoul- 
ders ;  her  drooping  head,  the  line  of  the  neck,  the 
curve  of  the  shoulders,  the  gleam  of  the  left  arm, 
lying  bare  upon  the  desk,  while  its  mate  was  hidden  in 
the  fur  of  the  falling  cloak,  made  a  picture  which 
might  have  caused  the  mind  of  the  most  upright  and 
just  man  to  waver  from  too  severe  a  judgment. 

There  was  a  hopeless  resignation  in  the  attitude,  and 
at  the  same  time,  a  quiet  resolution,  which  should  have 
warned  the  judge,  who  sat  opposite,  that,  in  trying  a 
case,  leniency  is  sometimes  the  only  real  justice. 

Secretary  Granger  now  took  up  the  papers,  with  the 
precision  of  a  lawyer  in  court,  as  he  said :  "  I  propose 
to  call  to  your  attention  certain  alleged  facts  which 
were  sent  to  me  this  evening  in  the  packet  you  see  be- 
fore me.  It  is  but  fair  to  add  that  this  came  to  me 
from  an  anonymous  source,  and  did  it  not  contain 
documents,  signed  by  responsible  people,  I  should  not 
condescend  to  trouble  you  with  it.  Allow  me  to  re- 
capitulate what  is  charged."  After  summarizing,  in  a 
very  precise  manner,  Senator  Norton's  story,  Mr. 
Granger  said  :     "  It  appears  to  be  undisputed  that  cer- 


156  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

tain  appointments  in  my  department  were  given  to 
certain  men,  and  that  certain  contracts  followed  those 
appointments.  It  was  with  my  own  hand  that  those 
appointments  and  contracts  were  made  and  awarded. 
It  is  charged  that  they  were  paid  for,  and  that  the  pro- 
ceeds of  such  alleged  payments  can  be  directly  traced 
to  me.  In  other  words — that  I  am  a  dishonest  man, 
who  has  forfeited  all  claim  to  honor,  and  have  commit- 
ted a  crime  for  which  I  can  be  impeached,  and  disfran- 
chised as  a  citizen." 

I  could  see  Mrs.  Granger  turn  white,  and  then  I 
heard  her  say:  "  What  is  the  evidence,  Ralph,  against 
you  personally?" 

"We  have  here,"  said  he,  "a  payment  of  a  large  sum 
of  money  to  one  of  your  relatives,  and  we  have, 
further,  several  foolish  letters  from  him,  in  which  he 
plainly  indicates  that  a  part  of  that  money  was  paid  to 
some  member  of  this  household.  If  it  was  not  paid 
to  me,  then  it  was  either  paid  to  my  son  " — (at  this 
the  mother  shrank) — "to  one  of  my  daughters,  or" — 
pausing  deliberately — "to  their  gracious  mother,  who, 
carries  my  honor  in  her  hands."  There  was  a  spasm  of 
pain  which  contracted  the  features  of  Mrs.  Granger.  She 
bowed  her  head  to  the  head  to  which  she  had  never 
humbly  bowed  before,  as  she  said,  in  notes  barely  above 
a  whisper  :  "  It  is  I — I — alone  who  am  guilty."  Then 
a  look  came  over  her  husband's  face,  which  made  her 
shrink  as  if  from  a  blow.  Then  she  put  up  her  hand, 
seeking  feebly  to  shield  herself  from  his  stern,  cruel 
glance.  "  No,"  said  he  in  reply,  "  I  will  not  forgive 
you  ;  neither  do  I   propose  to   make  any  extravagant 


A    MAN    AND    HIS   SOUL.  1 57 

scene.  You  have  failed  in  your  duty ;  you  have  proved 
yourself  to  be  an  unworthy  woman  ;  you  have  done  all 
that  lies  within  your  power  to  ruin  and  disgrace  an 
honored  name,  and  to  leave  a  legacy  of  shame  to  your 
children.  The  world  shall  never  know  what  I  think  of 
you.  I  am  ready  now  to  take  that  shame  upon  my 
own  shoulders.  So  far  as  the  public  is  concerned,  I 
shall  be  the  guilty  one.  I  know  enough  of  your  na- 
ture to  understand  and  appreciate  you.  I  feel  sure 
that  it  is  a  fault  that  could  never  be  repeated  ;  but  life 
for  us,  as  we  knew  it,  is  ended.  I  will  protect  you 
always  with  my  name ;  but  in  reality  our  union  is 
broken,  and  we  stand  divorced  and  separated  from  the 
moment  that  you  confessed  your  guilt." 

The  severity  of  his  sentiments  left  Mrs.  Granger 
crushed.  She  made  no  attempt  to  speak  one  word  of 
defence.  After  a  few  moments  of  painful  silence  she 
arose,  and  gathering  her  cloak  about  her,  she  moved 
out  of  the  library  and  up  the  stairs  to  her  room.  I 
saw  her  enter  that  room,  close  it  afterwards,  and  then, 
pausing  with  her  hand  over  her  heart,  under  the  dim  light 
of  a  tiny  electric  lamp,  she  swayed  to  and  fro,  seeking 
vainly  to  control  herself,  and  to  fight  against  the  furious 
fit  of  sobbing,  the  deep,  passionate  gasps  of  which 
reached  to  the  inner  citadel  of  her  life.  She  took  an 
uncertain  step  forward,  then,  all  at  once,  stumbled,  her 
head  striking  against  the  chimney-piece,  causing  a  cruel 
blow  above  the  temple,  and  then  the  poor  woman  fell 
flat  upon  her  face,  lying  in  the  empty  grate,  with  her 
beautiful  face  buried  in  its  dead  ashes,  while  her  even- 
ing robe   and   prostrate   figure   made   a  mass   of  dark 


158  A   MAN   AND    HIS   SOUL. 

colors  upon  the  white  wolf-skin  robe,  which  lay  in  front 
of  what  had  been  her  favorite  lounging  place  in  this 
white  and  gold  sitting-room  of  her  favorite  fancy. 

As  I  looked  upon  this  piteous  spectacle,  I  saw  rise, 
above  the  dark  figure,  a  blue  ball  of  light.  This  ball 
shone  first  with  a  soft  glimmer,  and  then  the  light  be- 
came more  intense,  and  out  of  that  light  I  saw,  gradu- 
ally, grow  and  expand  the  face  of  Mrs.  Granger,  still 
wearing  the  expression  of  pain  and  horror ;  while 
nearer,  bending  over  her  in  a  protecting  way,  with  out- 
stretched arms,  stood  Mrs.  Granger  perfected — her 
immortal  soul  waiting  to  take  in  hand  the  spirit  that 
had  just  escaped,  and  to  accompany  it  to  the  begin- 
ning of  some  other  existence,  where  a  compensation 
for  the  seeming  misfortune  of  the  one  just  passed 
might  be  found. 


159 


CHAPTER   XVI. 

A    STUDY    OF    SOME   OF    THE    CONDITIONS    OF    HUMAN 
ADVANCEMENT. 

For  me,  the  death  of  Mrs.  Granger  was  the  end  of 
the  intrigue,  so  far  as  my  personal  interest  was  con- 
cerned. Her  sudden  death  caused  a  great  sensation. 
It  was  attributed  to  heart-failure,  and  many  were  the 
moralizing  editorials  written  upon  the  cruel  exigencies 
of  high  social  life  in  Washington.  Ralph  Granger  re- 
signed from  the  Cabinet,  within  the  hour,  after  rinding 
his  wife's  body.  He  returned  to  his  Western  home 
after  the  funeral,  taking  his  children  with  him.  He  had 
a  long  and  free  talk  with  the  President  before  going, 
in  which  he  disclosed  the  story  of  the  intrigue,  as  it 
had  been  revealed  to  him.  The  President  asked  him 
to  stay ;  but,  in  his  heart,  he  was  glad  to  have  him  go, 
now  that  the  possibility  of  an  open  scandal  had  become 
so  great.  I  had  frequent  conferences,  in  these  days, 
with  Granger,  but  he  never  took  me  into  his  confidence. 
He  never  knew  the  part  I  had  tried  to  play  in  protect- 
ing him,  and  this  was  just  as  well ;  if  he  had  known,  he 
could  not  have  had  me  so  near  him  when  he  was  wind- 
ing up  his  Washington  affairs,  as  he  shrank  from  com- 
ing in  contact  with  any  one  whom  he  remotely  sus- 
pected of  having  a  knowledge  of  the  Norton  story. 


l6o  A   MAN   AND    HIS   SOUL. 

Too  much  had  become  known  for  him  to  entirely 
escape.  One  or  two  publications  hinted  that  Mrs. 
Granger's  death  was  a  suicide,  and  others  vaguely  sur- 
mised a  scandal,  hidden  by  Granger's  resignation.  But 
Washington  is  fickle-minded,  and  the  incident  of  the 
senatorial  duel  overshadowed  all  else.  Then  there  came 
the  grave  settlement  of  the  duel  by  an  august  committee 
of  senatorial  grandfathers,  and,  at  last,  Washington 
was  given  a  chance  to  laugh,  and  to  say,  gently, 
malicious  things — an  opportunity  which  it  never 
neglects.  After  a  brief  season  of  chaffing,  Senator 
Norton  was  stricken  down  by  an  illness  of  so  danger- 
ous and  serious  a  character  as  to  eliminate  him,  for 
some  time,  as  a  political  factor,  and  so  the  easy-going 
President  was,  once  more,  contented,  and  more  and 
more  convinced  that  Providence  was  a  special  friend  of 
his,  who  looked  out,  at  the  proper  time,  for  the  dis- 
comfiture of  his  enemies,  and  for  the  removal  of  all 
disagreeable  obstacles  from  his  path.  There  grew  up 
in  his  mind  the  sincere  conviction  that  destiny  had 
marked  him  for  a  very  happy  fate,  and  he  began  to 
plan  for  his  renomination  with  a  cheerful  confidence. 

The  moment  Ralph  Granger  had  departed,  I  re- 
sumed my  customary  routine  of  life.  I  felt  dull  and 
disappointed.  I  was  unhappy  over  my  failure  to  stem, 
in  the  slightest  degree,  the  onward .  march  of  a  partic- 
ular fate,  whose  advancing  shadow  I  had  so  clearly 
seen. 

But,  when  I  was  with  Captain  Harcourt,  the  disap- 
pointment was  gone,  and,  then,  some  way,  I  was  made 
to  feel  that  everything  that  occurred  was  in  accordance 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  l6l 

with  an  inevitable  law,  and,  whether  called  fate  or 
something  else,  each  mortal  had  to  pass  through  so 
many  stages  of  experience  before  he  could  earn  the 
right  to  immortality  and  perfect  happiness. 

Faintly,  I  began  to  have  an  understanding  of  the 
wisdom  of  the  divine  law  that  kept  one's  memory  dark 
as  to  the  past.  How  could  one  find  the  strength  to 
bear  the  burdens  of  one  existence,  if  the  memory  had, 
chained  to  it,  the  endless  memories  of  long  previous 
ones?  How  hideous  would  then  be  the  future,  stretch- 
ing out,  without  apparent  end  of  seemingly  useless 
struggling. 

Something  of  this  I  said  to  Captain  Harcourt,  a  few 
nights  after  Mrs.  Granger's  death. 

To  it  he  replied  :  "The  remedy  for  all  this  lies  in  the 
cultivation  of  the  better  self.  In  this,  the  nation  re- 
sembles the  individual.  There  is  a  soul  to  a  nation — 
its  ideal — and  this  ideal  is  only  reached  by  the  units 
which  compose  it  rising  to  the  high  standard  planted 
within  by  the  overruling  Deity." 

So,  gently,  and  through  the  aid  of  his  kind  com- 
panionship, I  was  led,  more  and  more,  to  woo  the  in- 
timacy of  my  immortal  self.  The  first  pleasure  of  a 
gratified  curiosity  in  talking  with  him  was  succeeded 
by  a  sensation  of  uneasiness.  I  do  not  believe  there 
are  many  people  who  could,  easily  and  quickly,  become 
at  ease  in  the  constant  company  of  one  who  was  con- 
stantly a  measure  of  perfection  for  every  act  and 
thought. 

But  I  soon  found  comfort  in  a  plan  that  Captain  Har- 
court submitted  to  me,  from  the  Island  of  Nolos.     He 


l62  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

said  to  me,  one  evening,  after  I  had  come  in  from  a 
busy  and  profitless  day :  "  I  shall  soon  be  obliged  to 
leave  Washington,  and,  before  going,  I  wish  to  outline 
to  you  the  work  that  Doctor  Longman  gave  me  to  do 
before  coming  here.  I  want  you  to  take  up  this  work, 
as  a  member  of  our  society,  for  the  improvement  of  the 
world.  Your  character  has  undergone,  recently,  a 
sharp  change,  and  your  disposition  is,  I  am  sure,  more 
in  accordance  with  our  needs.  Your  experience  here, 
as  an  observer  and  writer,  has  trained  you  for  our 
work  ;  but  all  would  have  been  useless,  had  not  your 
disposition  been  made  over  by  the  ardent  fire  of  a  recent 
bit  of  unselfishness.  Now  you  are  in  the  mood  and 
condition  to  be  of  use,  while,  if  the  opportunity  should 
pass,  you  might  again  become  indifferent,  and  go  drift- 
ing once  more.  Now,  honestly  tell  me  what  has  been 
the  result  of  the  last  ten  years  of  your  work  as  a  writer 
at  Washington  ?  " 

"Not  much,  I  can  assure  you." 

"  What  has  been,  most  frequently,  the  subject  of 
your  correspondence  during  the  last  ten  years?" 

"  Current  news." 

"  What  has  been  the  standard  of  news  at  Washing- 
ton?" 

"The  leading  events  of  the  political  day." 

"  What  have  been  considered  leading  events  ?  " 

"  Personal  scandals  have  always  ranked  first.  Political 
intrigues  of  all  sorts — anything  detrimental  to  the 
character  of  any  prominent  public  man — have  always 
been  considered  desirable." 

"  Do  you  recall  ever  attempting  to  create  a  sensation 


A    MAN"    AND    HIS    SOUL.  1 63 

by  publishing  an  exposure  of  all  the  good  deeds  of  a 
public  man  ?  " 

"  Oh,  never  !  " 

"The  evil  predominating  in  .the  news  reports  of 
the  day  is  only  a  reflection  of  the  time.  It  is  a 
corollary  of  the  selfish  strivings  of  all.  Who  comes  to 
Washington  to  serve  any  one  but  himself,  from  the 
President  down  ?  All  may  start  with  the  highest 
motives ;  but,  in  the  war,  here,  for  supremacy,  selfish- 
ness so  rules,  that  he  who  would  live  in  all  this  conten- 
tion of  malicious  striving  must  learn  to  strike  and  bite 
at  every  one  who  stands  in  his  way." 

"  How  can  this  be  remedied  ?  " 

"  It  can  be  done  only  through  years  of  toil ;  yet,  the 
beginning  can  be  made  through  the  presentation  of 
ideal  conditions,  in  contrast  with  conditions  that  no 
one  would  claim  are  just  or  correct." 

"  But,  how  can  this  be  done  ?  " 

"  It  goes  back  to  the  system  of  the  Island  of  Nolos. 
Remember,  the  power  that  comes  from  there  gives  an 
adept  the  power  to  see  things  as  they  are,  and  to  see 
them  as  they  really  should  be.  I  have  the  power  to 
show  you  this  in  such  clear  pictures,  that  they  will 
have,  to  you,  the  emphasis  of  actuality.  With  the  aid 
of  your  own  immortal  soul,  I  will  reveal  to  you  the  real 
soul  of  this  national  life,  and  you  shall  make  a  per- 
manent record  of  your  impressions.  This  shall  be  the 
first  part  of  the  work  assigned  to  you.  Do  you  accept 
the  task?" 

"  Gladly." 

"  Then  I  want  you,  first,  to  go  over,  with  me.  some  of 


164  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

the  results  of  Doctor  Longman's  observations  upon  the 
human  race,  as  it  has,  thus  far,  been  developed.  He 
who  taught  me  ever  dwelt  upon  the  innate  goodness  of 
the  human  type.  You  must  start  out  with  a  profound 
belief  in  the  real  goodness  of  every  one.  It  may  be 
encrusted  with  ignorance,  surface  cruelty  and  ironclad 
habits  of  indifference ;  but,  in  each  man  dwells  a  soul, 
a  part  of  the  divinity  which  has  shaped  all  creation, 
and,  when  you  have  that  fact  once  in  your  mind,  it  will 
not  be  possible  for  you  to  despise  or  hate  any  one.  You 
can  but  feel  sorry  for  the  unfortunate  individual  whose 
education  and  surroundings  have  closed  his  eyes  in 
ignorance,  or  else  have  turned  all  his  energies  in  the 
wrong  direction.  For,  I  repeat,  as  the  proof  of  the  as- 
sertion of  the  innate  goodness  of  every  one  is  to  be 
found  in  the  fact  that  the  only  real  happiness  ever 
found  in  this  world  is  the  result  of  some  act  of  kindness 
or  unselfishness,  that  is  in  accordance  with  this  higher 
nature.  The  reason  why  there  is  so  much  misery  and 
unhappiness  in  this  world  is  owing  to  the  antagonism 
to  the  underlying  principle  of  the  doctrine  of  loving 
kindness.  Those  who  live  brightest  in  history,  and 
have  the  warmest  corners  in  our  hearts,  are  those  who 
have  taught  the  doctrine  of  unselfishness,  and  have 
lived  for  others.  The  one  name  in  history  that  over- 
shadows all  others  is  the  Christ  man.  Why  does  he 
surpass  in  name,  in  glory,  in  reverence,  all  others  ? 
Because  we  all  believe  in  his  divinity,  and  his  kinship 
to  God  ?  No  ;  because,  in  the  same  sense,  we  are  all 
divine,  and  equally  children  of  the  Creator.  It  is 
because  his  life  was,  throughout,  a  sacrifice  for  others, 


A    MAN    AND    HIS    SOUL.  1 65 

a  life  of  love  and  thought  for  his  fellow  man,  his  living 
up  to  the  divinity  of  the  immortal  soul  possessed  by 
every  one,  and  his  death,  as  the  culmination  of  a  life  of 
purity,  self-denial  and  sacrifice.  If  it  were  not  for  our 
possession  of  the  same  divinity,  do  you  suppose  that 
his  life  would  have  left  the  same  impression  upon  the 
succeeding  ages,  in  spite  of  the  mockery  of  his  principles 
by  the  churches  built  up  in  his  name?  If  the  people 
of  this  world  could  only  be  brought  to  adopt  his 
standard  of  loving  kindness  towards  their  fellow 
creatures,  poverty,  misery  and  crime  would  soon  be 
made  to  disappear." 

I  will  not  go  any  further  in  this  chapter,  but  will,  I 
think,  better  illustrate  his  meaning  by  giving  as  care- 
ful a  description  as  possible  of  the  pictures  he  presented 
me  of  the  ideal  nation,  and  the  possibilities  of  our 
future  development  in  something  less,  it  is  to  be 
hoped,  than  the  one  hundred  million  years  required  to 
perfect  a  planet. 


1 66 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

PICTURING     IDEAL     POSSIBILITIES     OF     OUR     FUTURE 
NATIONAL   LIFE. 

Out  of  the  many  pictures  presented,  I  remember 
none  that  impressed  me  more,  as  a  whole,  than  the  one 
given  to  me  of  the  National  Capitol. 

It  was  upon  the  first  evening  of  the  beginning  of  my 
work  of  study  as  an  adept  of  the  religion  of  the  Island 
of  Nolos.  The  pictures  came  as  we  talked.  My  soul 
sat  near  me.  Sometimes  the  explanation  came  from 
him,  sometimes  from  Captain  Harcourt.  I  gathered, 
at  the  outset,  that  the  ideal  Capital  of  the  nation  was 
one  that  should  present  an  absolute  standard  of  perfec- 
tion for  the  nation  at  large.  The  ideal  must  be  reached 
at  the  center  of  national  existence  before  the  work  of 
the  uplifting  of  a  nation  should  be  reached.  But,  to 
the  pictures. 

First,  in  the  ideal  picture,  the  Capitol,  as  it  should 
be,  was  viewed  by  me  from  the  standpoint  of  Capitol 
Hill.  Here  I  was  overwhelmed  with  admiration  at  the 
magnificent  proportions  of  this  legislative  temple.  All 
of  the  crudities  of  the  central  building,  now  so  out  of 
harmony  with  the  wings,  were  gone.  The  building 
was  in  the  form  of  a  Greek  cross,  each  wing  a  pure 
and  harmonious  complement  of  the  other.     Below  the 


A   MAX   AND   HIS   SOUL.  167 

central  building  stretched  away  terraces,  adorned,  here 
and  there,  with  statuary,  representing  beauty  in  every 
form  of  correct  line,  and  groups,  commemorative  of 
the  nation's  history,  the  handiwork  of  great  artists,  who 
had  mastered  their  art  through  the  knowledge  given 
them  by  their  diviner  selves.  As  I  looked  at  the 
Capitol  building,  I  saw,  revealed  through  its  white 
marble  walls,  which  were  pierced  by  my  vision,  the 
noble  adornments  of  pictures,  statues,  and  decorations, 
conceived  in  the  highest  possibility  of  art.  Here  the 
full  limit  of  harmony,  color  and  form  had  been  reached. 
The  problems  of  light  and  ventilation  had  been  solved, 
so  that  the  sweetness  of  the  air  and  the  purity  of 
the  light  were  borne  in  upon  me,  in  strong  contrast 
with  my  memory  of  the  hideous  foulness  and  dingi- 
ness  of  the  atmosphere  of  the  great  Capitol  building, 
as  it  now  exists. 

The  legislative  chambers  were  alike  in  the  high 
character  of  adornment.  The  white  marble  and  gold  of 
the  walls,  the  carved  ivory  of  the  benches — for  desks 
had  been  abolished — gave  an  atmosphere  of  great  purity 
to  halls  where  only  questions  of  benefit  to  the  public 
could  be  considered.  With  such  surroundings  of  har- 
mony and  simplicity,  the  minds  of  the  legislators  were 
influenced  corresponding  to  the  elevated  character  of 
their  work. 

In  explanation  of  this  extreme  attention  shown  in 
every  detail  to  the  laws  of  beauty,  my  soul  said  :  "  In 
time,  men  will  come  to  learn  that  there  is  nothing  so 
influential  in  lifting  up  men  as  the  cultivation  of  beauty. 
They  will   find   that,  throughout   nature,  beauty  is  the 


l68  A   MAN   AND    HIS   SOUL. 

universal  law  ;  and  the  nearer  they  approach  to  beauty 
in  their  surroundings,  the  more  rapid  their  advance  to 
a  higher  civilization.  It  will  be  found  that  it  costs  no 
more  to  have  things  made  in  beautiful  forms  than  in 
ugly  ones.  With  such  surroundings,  the  mind  be- 
comes more  impressible  to  the  teachings  of  the  higher 
life.  Architecture,  sculpture  and  painting  have  done 
more  to  raise  up  men  than  generations  of  moral  dis- 
course." 

Leaving  the  interior  of  the  great  home  of  legislative 
government,  I  passed,  quickly,  to  the  southern  terrace, 
and  took  a  quick,  comprehensive  look  at  the  great  city 
that  stretched  out  at  my  feet.  I  was  anxious  to  get, 
first,  a  superficial  view  of  everything,  and  not  seek  to 
look  into  the  actual  working  of  an  ideal  government 
until  I  had  become  more  familiar  with  its  outward 
face. 

The  scene  below  was  lighted  by  the  bright,  warm 
sun  and  clear  atmosphere  of  an  early  May.  Pennsyl- 
vania Avenue,  lined  by  noble  trees,  was  flanked  upon 
either  side  by  grand  piles,  representing  the  various 
great  offices  of  the  government.  Upon  the  left,  the 
beautiful  edifices  were  surrounded  by  parks,  represent- 
ing the  highest  art  of  the  landscape-gardener.  Stretched 
away,  along  drives  and  graded  walks,  to  the  silvery  Poto- 
mac— over  which  were  numerous  memorial  bridges, 
covered  with  statues  and  memorial  tablets,  in  memory 
of  those  who  had  done  the  most  to  prove  themselves 
worthy  of  honor  at  the  hands  of  the  Republic — upon 
the  heights  of  the  Virginia  shore,  was  a  line  of  temples, 
bearing    such    inscriptions    as '  to    clearly    show    their 


A    MAX   AND    HIS    SOUL.  169 

character ;  for,  as  I  looked  long  at  any  particular  por- 
tion of  the  picture,  it  suddenly  grew  upon  my  vision, 
until  every  detail  stood  out  distinctly,  as  if  I  were  close 
upon  it.  Here  were  universities,  schools,  temples  for 
public  ceremonials,  and  the  many  buildings  required 
for  the  teaching  of  a  perfected  civilization.  Each  art 
and  science  had  its  home,  with  outlying  buildings 
flanking  it,  wherein  were  stored  every  attainable  object 
for  the  elucidation  of  the  subject  to  be  treated. 

Upon  the  heights,  to  the  northwest  of  Washington, 
was  a  series  of  State  buildings  ;  for  each  State  had 
built  a  palace  for  the  housing  of  its  senators  and  repre- 
sentatives. These  palaces  were  vast,  and  gave  to  each 
more  room  than  could  be  found  in  any  modern  house. 
Each  foreign  nation  had  selected  some  goodly  site  for 
the  home  of  its  ambassador.  The  variety  of  architec- 
ture was  great,  but  a  spirit  of  harmony  ran  through  the 
whole. 

Upon  the  heights  at  the  right,  at  the  head  of  what  is 
now  Sixteenth  Street,  was  the  palace  of  the  President 
of  the  United  States,  overtopping  all  of  the  edifices  of 
the  city  in  its  graceful  lines  and  richness  of  adorn- 
ment. To  its  right  and  left  were  the  palaces  of  the 
Cabinet  ministers,  and  other  universities,  museums, 
and  palaces  of  the  arts. 

The  prevailing  color  was  a  soft,  yellow-white.  Upon 
examination  of  the  material,  I  found  it  to  be  a  com- 
position, which  hardened  greatly  under  exposure,  hav- 
ing the  solidity  and  richness  of  marble,  without  its 
coldness. 

The  streets,    clean,  paved   and   swept,  were  adorned 


170  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

with  numerous  parks,  and  were  always  flanked  by 
double  rows  of  trees.  The  vehicles  flying  about  were 
light,  and,  being  propelled  by  electricity,  moved  swiftly 
and  noiselessly,  leaving  no  dirt,  and  needing  no  special 
track  for  their  guidance. 

There  was  not  a  poor  or  ugly-looking  house  in  the 
city.  Even  the  smallest  were  perfect  in  their  lines  of 
beauty  and  in  their  adornment.  To  the  south,  as  far 
as  the  eye  could  reach,  stretched  away  the  houses  of 
the  humbler  class,  but  all  were  of  the  character  in 
which  the  rich  men  of  to-day  would  be  proud  to  dwell. 

Coming  closer  to  the  life  in  the  streets,  I  observed 
that  all  wore  happy  and  contented  faces.  Their  dress 
and  their  beauty  suggested  the  princes  of  the  fairy 
tales  of  my  childhood.  I  searched  everywhere  for  an 
ugly  face.  "  Has  perfection,  then,  been  reached  by 
this  race  ?  "   I  asked. 

"  No,"  was  the  reply  of  my  soul ;  "  the  people  you  see 
have  arrived  at  the  utmost  of  their  possibilities  in  this 
world  ;  but  I  have  shown  you  the  Capital  at  a  period 
when  it  has  reached  its  ideal  in  company  with  some  of 
the  leading  centers  of  the  world  ;  but  the  same  ideal 
condition  will  not  be  reached  by  the  entire  world  until 
some  centuries  later.  These  people,  here,  send  out  an 
influence,  which  has  now  become  overwhelming  ;  for,  in 
this  picture,  you  will  see  that  the  world,  in  all  that  directs 
and  controls  its  most  important  acts,  has  reached  a  plane, 
where  good,  instead  of  evil,  predominates.  The  people 
you  see  here  are  the  products  of  centuries  of  happy, 
beauty-seeking  lives.  Naturally,  they  have  taken  on 
more  and  more,  with  each  generation,  the  form  of  their 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  171 

higher  selves,  until  the  beauty  of  the  individual  has 
reached  a  point  where  it  is  in  harmony  with  the  sur- 
roundings of  this  higher  civilization.  You  will  never 
see  an  unkind  expression,  nor  meet  with  a  discourteous 
word  in  this  community,  where  the  highest  pleasure 
found  is  in  making  others  happy." 

As  I  looked,  I  became  so  interested  in  the  life  of 
this  ideal  city,  with  its  temples  and  shining  beauties  of 
an  earthly  paradise,  that  I  became  curious  to  study  the 
details  of  what  appeared  to  be  the  perfection  of  human 
government. 


172 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THE   LIFE   OF   THE   NATION  AFTER  IDEAL   CONDITIONS 
ARE   REACHED. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  pictures  shown  described 
the  preparation  necessary  for  holding  a  public  place  in 
an  ideal  State.  It  came,  gradually,  to  the  conscious- 
ness of  the  people,  that  the  science  of  human  govern- 
ment, being  the  most  complicated,  and  the  one  requir- 
ing the  greatest  study,  it  was  of  the  utmost  importance 
that  men  should  be  trained  properly  for  filling  public 
positions,  and  that  no  man  should  be  elected  to  any 
high  office  who  had  not  learned  the  requirements  of 
the  position,  and  who  was  not  possessed  of  the  educa- 
tion which  would  justify  his  selection.  When  men 
were  properly  qualified  and  elected,  they  were  per- 
mitted, when  faithful,  by  a  very  just  sentiment,  to  hold 
office  for  life.  It  was  felt  that  it  was  very  unjust  to 
detach  men  from  their  private  pursuits  for  the  purpo? e 
of  serving  the  public,  and  then  send  them  back  again, 
after  a  few  years  of  faithful  service,  for  no  other 
reason  than  the  giving  an  opportunity  to  new  men. 
Politics  thus  had  become  a  noble  profession,  to  which 
the  best  brains  and  minds  of  the  country  were  directed. 

Schools  were  established  throughout  the  country  for 
the  training  of  men  who  intended  to  seek  public  office, 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  1 73 

and  no  one  was  permitted  to  hold  even  the  humblest 
place  who  had  not  passed  through  some  one  of  these 
schools.  Congress,  as  I  knew  it,  was  an  assemblage  of 
men,  brought  together  by  haphazard  from  various 
sections  of  the  country;  some  of  them  very  ignorant, 
and  some  of  them  very  astute  and  skillful.  The 
ignorant  new-comer  often  learned  what  was  to  be  done 
only  on  the  eve  of  his  retirement.  The  rotation  in 
office,  which  existed  at  the  writing  of  this  story,  had 
had  a  most  baleful  effect  upon  our  politics.  Very  few 
good  men  could  afford  to  sacrifice  the  most  important 
period  of  their  life  to  the  doubtful  experiment  of  ob- 
taining a  success  in  the  uncertain  field  of  politics.  In 
the  ideal  state,  the  schools  taught  all  the  correct 
theories  of  politics.  They  proceeded  upon  the  theory 
that  the  experience  of  nations,  through  centuries  of 
study,  counted  for  something,  and  that,  for  a  man  to 
start  de  novo,  and  to  attempt  to  establish,  for  himself, 
an  original  line  of  study,  or  theory,  concerning  politics, 
was  absurd,  and  a  wretched  waste  of  time.  Certain 
principles  relating  to  politics  have  been  accepted  by 
all  the  nations  of  the  world,  and,  to  go  against  the 
established  facts  of  the  past,  was  considered  foolish. 
One  of  the  most  important  schools  was  the  school 
of  finance,  for  in  nothing  had  the  statesmen  of  the 
past  had  such  wide  differences.  In  this  school,  the 
ground  principles  were  taught,  that  no  system  of 
finance  could  be  considered  sound  which  was  against 
the  general  practice  of  civilized  nations,  and  that,  how- 
ever correct  the  theory  might  be,  it  was  wholly  im- 
practicable, unless  it  was  generally  accepted.     It  was 


174  A  MAN  AND   HIS   SOUL. 

further  taught  that  no  nation  could  afford,  in  its  finan- 
cial policy,  to  make  exceptions,  for  itself,  to  the  general 
practice  of  nations,  without  incurring  great  loss.  This 
same  principle  was  extended  to  the  teachings  of  other 
economic  questions.  While  free  trade  had  been  recog- 
nized as  correct  in  the  abstract  theory,  it  was  a  question 
which  required  the  united  action  of  nations  to  produce 
harmonious  and  successful  results.  In  other  words, 
that  free  trade  was  not  possible  without  the  united 
action  of  all  the  civilized  nations  of  the  world. 

One  of  the  interesting  features  of  the  education 
of  public  men  was  the  provision  for  their  visiting 
other  countries.  Every  year,  a  certain  number  of  the 
candidates,  who  had,  by  their  diligence,  and  by  the 
display  of  ability,  acquired  the  right,  were  sent  to 
foreign  countries  for  two  or  three  years  of  study  and 
travel.  Those  who  aspired  to  hold  a  high  place  in  the 
National  council  began  their  career,  after  graduating 
from  the  schools,  in  the  employment  of  the  municipality. 
Municipal  affairs  had  long  been  divorced  from  National 
and  State  politics.  Cities  were  governed  exactly  as  if 
they  were  corporations,  and  only  the  stockholders  were 
allowed  to  have  anything  to  say  about  the  way  the 
city  should  be  managed.  In  other  words,  it  was  the 
property-owners,  alone,  who  had  the  right,  in  affairs 
purely  municipal,  to  say  what  should  be  done.  These 
property-owners  elected,  from  time  to  time,  boards  of 
directors,  who,  being  themselves  interested  in  the 
actual  property  of  the  community,  planned  all  expendi- 
tures upon  the  most  economical  lines.  Every  expendi- 
ture was  made  openly,  so  that  the  public  had  an  oppor- 


A    MAX    AND    HIS   SOUL.  1 75 

tunity  of  scrutinizing,  daily,  the  expenditures  and  acts 
of  the  Central  Board  of  Directors.  The  result  of  this 
was  that  there  was  no  waste,  no  money  misappropriated 
to  improper  purposes.  The  municipalities  eliminated 
every  poor  building  from  the  town,  and  built  up  a 
system  of  high-class  tenements  for  the  use  of  the  poor 
people,  who  were  enabled  to  have  absolutely  com- 
fortable and  healthful  quarters  at  half  the  rent  they 
were  paying  now,  while  the  city  received,  from  these 
rents,  a  clear  five  per  cent,  on  the  investment.  There 
being  no  money  wasted  in  corruption  funds,  every 
dollar  which  was  collected  was  honestly  and  economi- 
cally expended  ;  so  that  the  various  cities  of  the  Union 
gradually  turned  their  attention  to  public  improve- 
ments, which  were  not  possible  under  the  wasteful  and 
ignorant  mismanagement  of  the  past.  Streets  were 
now  perfectly  paved  and  lighted.  The  architecture  of 
all  the  great  buildings  controlled  by  the  municipality 
was  in  accordance  with  the  most  perfect  lines,  while 
schools,  throughout  the  community,  were  established 
to  teach  the  mechanical  arts. 

Attendance  upon  these  schools  was  compulsory  for 
children  of  the  class  who  were  too  poor  to  pay  taxes. 
The  municipal  government  saw  to  it  that  every  child 
of  the  poorer  classes  in  the  town  was  educated,  given 
a  fine,  physical  training,  and,  when  absolutely  necessary, 
he  was  fed  at  the  expense  of  the  town.  It  was  found, 
after  a  long  experience,  that  this  system  did  not  en- 
courage pauperism,  and  that  the  moneys  thus  expended 
did  not  equal,  at  any  time,  the  amounts  now  spent 
every  year  for  the  protection  of  society  against  the 


176  A   MAN   AND    HIS   SOUL. 

criminal    classes,   which    come    from    uneducated,    un- 
trained, and  neglected  classes  of  society. 

In  each  town  there  was  a  great  forum.  It  was  the 
most  beautiful  place  in  the  municipality.  About  it 
were  grouped  temples  and  palaces  devoted  to  public 
uses.  Every  art  and  science  received  the  encourage- 
ment of  the  municipality.  Every  student  who  dis- 
played the  slightest  talent  was  encouraged  and  stimu- 
lated to  put  forth  every  effort  for  the  full  develop- 
ment of  his  genius.  Amusements  were  provided  for 
the  public  by  the  municipality.  Every  public  building 
was  open  night  and  day,  so  that  no  one  was  so 
poor  but  what  he  could  find  a  warm,  well-lighted  and 
sheltered  place,  whenever  he  should  choose  to  seek  it. 
Every  district  of  the  town  was  provided  with  skilled 
musicians,  who  played,  every  day,  in  some  of  the 
halls,  whenever  the  weather  was  bad  ;  and,  when  it 
was  good,  in  the  parks.  The  children  who  did  well  in 
the  industrial  school  were  promoted  to  the  higher 
schools,  where  the  arts  were  taught  by  accomplished 
masters.  The  person  who  was  considered  most  im- 
portant in  the  community  was  he  who  could,  by  his 
genius,  contribute  in  the  highest  degree  to  the  stock  of 
beauty  of  the  community,  whether  in  the  form  of 
architecture,  sculpture  or  painting.  The  artists  were 
among  those  of  the  first  rank,  standing  equal  even  to 
the  public  men,  who  devoted  their  entire  lives  to  serv- 
ing the  public,  and  to  forgetting  self.  Public  baths 
were  constructed  by  the  municipality  in  every  form 
— large  and  small — so  that  every  district,  however 
crowded,  or  however  select,  had,  at   its  disposal,  lux- 


A   MAX   AND   HIS   SOUL.  1 77 

urious  bathing-places,  made  free  by  the  municipality 
to  every  one  who  wished  to  come.  More  than  this — 
light  and  heat  were  furnished  by  the  municipality.  In 
the  perfection  of  mechanical  appliances,  it  was  found 
that  Mr.  Keeley,  the  Philadelphia  inventor,  had  laid 
the  way  for  this ;  so  that  the  furnishing  of  light  and 
heat,  free,  really  meant  nothing,  so  far  as  actual  expen- 
ditures were  concerned.  The  force  discovered  by  Mr. 
Keeley,  which  was  the  underlying  principle  of  elec- 
tricity, was  utilized,  by  this  time,  to  such  an  extent, 
that  light  and  heat  were  taken  from  the  ether  of  the 
Universe,  and  distributed  in  such  a  way  that  every 
home  was  brilliantly  heated  and  warmed,  to  the  exact 
degree  desired  by  the  owner  or  tenant. 

It  was  discovered,  by  the  pioneers  of  the  world,  who 
studied  all  of  the  complicated  questions,  which,  at 
one  time,  harassed  humanity,  that  the  real  reason  why 
we  had  advanced  so  slowly,  and  had  remained  so 
long  in  the  animal  stage,  was  on  account  of  our  being 
obliged  to  devote  nearly  every  waking  moment  to 
fight  for  the  mere  maintenance  of  existence.  How 
could  one  improve,  when  one-third  of  his  time  was 
spent  in  sleep,  and  the  other  two-thirds  in  labor 
necessary  to  procure  the  means  to  provide  food,  cloth- 
ing and  shelter  ?  The  nervous  exhaustion — the  wear 
and  tear  of  humanity,  under  a  system  which  required 
the  expenditure  of  such  vast  energies  for  such  trivial 
results — made  life,  for  a  long  time,  a  very  gloomy  one. 
Happiness  was  very  remote,  with  only  an  occasional 
glimpse  of  it  being  found  by  the  struggling  masses. 

After  the  municipality  had  settled  the  question  of 


178  A   MAN  AND    HIS   SOUL. 

light  and  heat  and  shelter,  it  took  up  the  question 
of  food.  The  minds  of  the  best  men  in  the  community 
were  directed  to  the  problem  of  providing  for  the 
nourishment  of  the  human  body  in  a  more  scientific 
and  refined  way  than  the  coarse  one  employed,  for  so 
many  years,  of  gathering  together  the  crude  forms  of 
carbon,  in  the  shape  of  raw  meat  and  vegetables, 
which,  under  the  cover  of  various  forms  of  roasting 
devices,  were  transformed  into  what  was  known  as  the 
food  of  that  time.  So  crude  and  expensive  were  these 
methods,  that  the  majority  of  mankind  was  bowed  down 
with  the  hours  of  labor  necessary  to  pay  for  the  food, 
which  was  so  gross  in  its  form,  and  so  badly  prepared, 
in  the  average  household,  that  it  was  rare  to  find  a 
person  with  good  health  and  with  perfect  digestion. 
The  physicians  of  that  time  were  a  necessary  evil, 
appertaining  to  that  crude  form  of  supplying  food  to 
the  human  machine.  Nearly  every  case  in  the  hands 
of  the  physicians  could  be  traced  back  to  over-eating 
or  some  corresponding  indulgence  of  the  appetite. 
The  moment  the  manner  of  supplying  the  waste  to  the 
human  machine  was  discovered,  physicians  became 
needless  ;  and  only  a  limited  number  of  surgeons  were 
able  to  exist,  looking  after  the  accidents  which  occa- 
sionally befell  the  inhabitants  of  these  ideal  commu- 
nities. 

It  might  be  said  that  no  one  would  work  if  he  did 
not  have  the  burden  of  necessity  compelling  him.  This 
was  an  argument  which  was  presented  to  the  munici- 
pality. When  it  took  up  the  food  question,  a  com- 
mission of  scientific  gentlemen  worked,  for  many  years, 


A    MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  1 79 

and,  finally,  developed  an  enormous  variety  of  foods  for 
the  maintenance  of  the  existence  of  humanity.  These 
foods  were  in  the  form  of  liquid  preparations,  which 
had  the  palatable  character  of  the  finest  wines  ;  and  of 
tablets,  which  had  the  agreeable  taste  of  the  most  deli- 
cate and  artistic  of  French  dishes  of  the  highest  class. 
The  pleasure  of  the  palate  was  preserved,  without  the 
human  frame  being  called  upon  to  digest  the  super- 
fluous and  gross  material,  which  is,  now,  pitchforked, 
three  times  a  day,  into  the  human  stomach.  The 
municipality  furnished  this  food,  at  cost,  to  the  com- 
munity ;  so  that,  instantly,  one  of  the  greatest  burdens 
could  be  lifted.  It  was  at  this  time  argued  that  it 
would  be  unwise  to  furnish  food  at  the  cost  of  its  pro- 
duction to  the  community,  as  the  last  incentive  to 
material  industry  would  be  thus  removed. 

This  question  was  first  taken  up  and  considered  by 
the  municipality  of  New  York.  All  discussions  of  a 
character  relating  to  the  public  took  place  in  the 
Forum.  The  Forum  was  located  upon  the  Palisades. 
Here  was  a  vast  amphitheatre,  inside  the  Forum,  capa- 
ble of  seating  100,000  people.  Here  the  arguments 
of  the  orators  of  the  day  were  permitted.  The  means 
employed  to  convey,  swiftly,  to  the  minds  of  the  great 
host  there  assembled  were  very  ingenious.  It  is  only 
upon  rare  occasions  that  so  many  people  came,  as  the 
newspapers  of  that  day  published  each  argument  in 
full,  and  so  every  one  who  could  read  had  an  oppor- 
tunity of  following  the  minds  of  the  municipal  directors, 
in  their  attempt  to  advance  the  interests  of  the  com- 
munity.    The  speeches  of  the  orators  were  taken  down 


ISO  A   MAN  AND   HIS  SOUL. 

with  rapidity,  and,  through  a  system  of  electrical  con- 
nection, their  actual  words  were  flashed  upon  the  walls 
which  ran  around  the  amphitheatre,  so  that  those  who 
were  at  too  distant  a  point  to  hear  fully,  could  under- 
stand everything  that  was  said.  Everything  relating  to 
the  public  had  to  be  conducted  openly.  There  was  a 
series  of  small  forums  throughout  the  municipality 
for  the  transaction  of  minor  divisions  of  the  business 
of  the  community ;  but,  when  it  came  to  some  great 
question,  involving  the  rights  of  the  whole,  then  the 
meeting  was  called  in  the  central  forum,  and  there 
came  the  municipal  council,  an  august  body  of  hon- 
orable men,  whose  high  character  made  them  objects 
of  esteem  and  reverence  in  the  community. 

Twelve  citizens  of  the  municipality  had  a  right  to 
summon  any  official  to  judgment  in  the  central  forum, 
where  he  defended  himself  before  a  court  of  honor. 
The  decision  of  the  court  of  honor  was,  then,  sub- 
mitted, directly,  to  the  public.  He  who  was  ruled 
against  by  public  opinion  received  no  other  punish- 
ment than  being  disqualified,  for  a  period  of  years, 
from  holding  an  office  of  trust.  To  prevent  citizens 
from  bringing  charges  upon  trivial  or  malicious  grounds, 
it  was  also  provided  that,  where  the  petitioners  were 
actuated  by  dishonest  or  improper  motives  in  bring- 
ing the  charges,  they  should  be  disqualified,  for  a 
period  of  years,  from  holding  any  position  of  trust, 
and  should  be,  forever,  disqualified  from  having  a  right 
to  summon  any  official  to  judgment  in  the  forum. 

It  was  found,  upon  actual  experience,  that  the  fur- 
nishing of  food  at  cost  by  the  municipality  to  the  com- 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  l8l 

munity  did  great  good,  instead  of  harm.  It  was  made 
clear  that  men,  who  struggled  fiercely  to  satisfy  mere 
animal  demands,  work  even  better  to  satisfy  the  higher 
claims  of  their  nature,  when  the  coarser  and  commoner 
ones  are  no  longer  obligatory  subjects  of  thought.  A 
spirit  of  honor,  of  kindness,  and  proud  emulation,  in 
each  community,  was  developed,  to  an  extraordinary 
degree,  on  the  day  that  the  toiling  sons  of  man  were 
freed  from  the  centuries-old  burden  of  struggling  for 
food,  shelter  and  clothes. 

The  country  had,  now,  become  so  thickly  built  up, 
that  the  people  in  the  country,  through  the  improve- 
ments in  the  method  of  communication,  were  made, 
practically,  members  of  the  various  municipalities 
throughout  the  country.  In  regions  too  distant  for 
such  service  the  State  took  the  place  of  the  munici- 
pality. The  transportation  lines,  in  every  direction, 
were  controlled  by  the  Government,  so  that  the  rates 
of  travel  were  reduced  to  a  minimum  degree  of  cost. 
The  Government  had  become,  to  a  certain  extent,  the 
great  central  trust,  occupied  with  the  benevolent  inten- 
tion of  reducing,  so  far  as  it  could,  the  cost  of  living. 

The  graduates  of  the  municipality  became  candi- 
dates for  the  State  Legislatures,  and  those,  in  turn, 
were  considered  eligible  to  the  National  Legislature. 
The  great  office  of  President  was  held  only  by  a  man 
who  had  been  through  the  consecutive  steps  of  legis- 
lative requirements  ;  and,  even  then,  before  he  could 
be  considered  more  than  an  ordinary  candidate,  he  was 
required  to  make  a  complete  circuit  of  the  world, 
studying    over   again    the    lessons  of   acquirement    of 


1 82  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

various  governments  of  the  earth,  before  coming  to 
the  high  place  of  chief  executive  of  an  ideal  nation. 
His  term  was  ten  years,  and  he  was  not  eligible  to  a 
re-election.  After  retiring  from  that  office,  he  was 
made  the  member  of  a  high  court  of  honor,  which  sat  in 
perpetual  session  at  the  National  Capitol,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  hearing  all  charges  made  against  any  official 
holding  place  under  the  Central  Government.  The 
highest  crime  to  be  charged  against  a  public  official  was 
that  he  had  neglected  the  interest  of  the  public,  and 
the  severest  punishment  was  the  disapproval  of  the 
public,  and  his  retirement  from  the  position  of  trust, 
with  future  disqualification  for  a  qualified  term  of 
years. 

The  key  to  all  this  advancement  came,  however, 
first,  from  individual  effort,  which  preceded  the  effort 
of  the  municipality,  and  the  acts  of  the  higher  forms 
of  government,  to  raise  up  the  weaker  and  more 
unfortunate  members  of  society. 

The  first  movement  in  the  direction  of  eliminating 
poverty  and  suffering  from  the  world  came  through 
the  united  action  of  the  well-to-do  and  prosperous. 
Societies  were  formed  upon  this  basis  : 

Each  member  of  the  Society  for  Adults  pledged 
himself,  during  his  life,  to  give  his  aid  and  loving  care 
to  one  unfortunate  person. 

Each  member  of  the  Society  for  the  Aid  of  Children 
pledged  himself  to  educate,  properly  train,  and  develop, 
physically,  some  one  helpless  child. 

As  the  well-to-do  greatly  outnumber  the  wretched, 
the  destitute  and  the  unhappy,  the  world-wide  union 


A    MAN    AND   HIS    SOUL.  1 83 

of  the  better  element  soon  made  an  arm  of  strength 
for  the  poor,  until  there  was  no  such  thing  as  destitu- 
tion, nor  absolute  want,  left  in  the  world.  The  schools 
of  crime  disappeared,  and,  in  an  atmosphere  of  loving 
kindness,  evil,  gradually,  began  to  give  way,  and  the 
era  of  cruel  punishments  and  savage  executions  for 
crime  became  things  of  the  past. 


1 84 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

GENERAL  STARR  BECOMES  A  PROSELYTE  TO  THE 
DOCTRINES  ADVOCATED  BY  CAPTAIN  HARCOURT. 

I  now  found  some  difficulty  in  the  way  of  going 
on  with  my  regular  work.  I  had  received  several  let- 
ters of  admonition  from  my  editor.  It  was  very  con 
fusing,  this  mingling  of  the  ideal  and  the  real.  The 
ideal — the  possible — took  away  the  interest  from  the 
petty  incidents  of  ordinary  political  life.  During  the 
day,  I  went  about  as  before  ;  but  every  evening  I  was  in 
Captain  Harcourt's  rooms,  talking  with  him,  or  to  my 
immortal  soul. 

One  thing  made  a  distinct  impression  upon  me,  and 
that  was  the  fact  that  I,  myself,  had  no  power  of  sum- 
moning my  immortal  part  and  that  it  was  only  in  Cap- 
tain Harcourt's  presence  that  he  became  visible. 
When  away  from  the  Captain,  I  sometimes  wondered 
if  it  was  not  a  skillful  illusion  upon  his  part — if  he  did 
not  possess  rare  powers  of  producing  hallucinations. 
But  I  did  not  long  pursue  this  train  of  thought,  for,  if 
it  were  an  illusion,  it  was  such  an  agreeable  one  that  I 
would  not  forego  its  delights  for  any  pleasure  of  a  more 
material  kind.  But,  yet,  I  was  not  happy.  When  en- 
gaged in  actual  conversation  with  my  soul,  I  was  su- 
premely contented ;  but,  when  away  from  the  scene 
where  his  presence  could  be  invoked,  I   felt  strangely 


A    MAN    AND    HIS    SOUL.  1 85 

dull  and  lifeless.  It  gave  me  a  helpless  feeling  to  be 
conscious  of  the  fact,  at  one  time  of  the  day,  of  having 
an  immortal  partner,  and  then,  at  another  time,  to  find 
that  I  did  not  possess  the  slightest  power  of  communi- 
cating with  him. 

Soon  after  the  retirement  of  Ralph  Granger  from 
the  Cabinet,  I  found  that  Captain  Harcourt  was  the 
center  of  attraction  for  many  people.  He  began  to 
have  as  many  callers  as  a  Cabinet  officer.  I  think  this 
all  grew  out  of  Madame  Neville's  knowledge  of  the 
Captain's  acquirements.  He  had  gone  to  her  house  in 
response  to  the  invitation  given  him  at  the  ball  at  the 
Russian  Legation.  He  interested,  deeply,  the  curious 
Parisian  lady,  and  she  was  the  means  of  spreading 
his  fame  to  such  a  degree,  that,  at  the  time  I  now 
speak  of,  he  was  besieged  by  callers,  the  greater  number 
being  ladies.  The  principal  proselytes  to  any  new 
cult  are  invariably  women,  because  they  have  more  time 
on  their  hands,  and  are  more  anxious  to  cultivate  new 
sensations. 

By  some,  Captain  Harcourt  was  called  an  out-and- 
out  spiritual  medium.  Others  spoke  of  him  as  an  oc- 
cultist, a  psychical  expert,  a  theosophist,  an  astrolo- 
ger, a  teller  of  fortunes  ;  and,  again,  by  others,  the 
prince  of  charlatans  and  of  superlative  humbugs. 

Yet,  there  must  have  been  some  strange  power  back 
of  him  to  thus  concentrate  the  attention  of  polite 
Washington  upon  his  modest  individuality,  as  he  had 
lived  in  comparative  retirement,  and  had  never  made 
any  claim  to  possess  any  supernatural  powers  or  gifts. 

Of  the  many  callers,  all  went  away  enthusiastic  from 


1 86  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

his  presence,  although  he  had  but  little  to  say  to  any- 
one ;  and,  in  all  his  intercourse  with  his  many  question- 
ers, he  never  affected  any  air  of  mystery.  Yet,  he 
nearly  always  said  the  right  word,  and  made  the  sug- 
gestion that  brought  relief  to  the  countenance  shaded 
by  sorrow  or  doubt.  People  who  came  to  him,  hoping 
to  gain  some  knowledge  concerning  the  future,  never 
received  any  satisfaction.  But,  in  all  that  related  to 
the  present,  he  was  an  adviser  of  such  unquestioned 
superiority,  that,  soon,  his  time  was  taxed  to  the  utter- 
most with  the  burden  of  the  confidences  thrust  upon 
him  from  every  direction. 

"  This,"  said  he  to  me,  "  only  proves  the  restlessness 
and  dissatisfaction  with  the  material  conditions  of  ordi- 
nary life.  At  the  first  suggestion  of  real  spirituality,  that 
comes  free  from  suspicion,  the  entire  race  of  man  turns 
its  head,  like  a  flower  towards  the  sun.  Everybody 
wants  to  believe  in  the  higher  immortality,  and  is  never 
sadder  than  when  under  the  influence  of  arguments 
tending  to  disprove  such  existence." 

One  day,  General  Starr  asked  me  to  present  him  to 
Captain  Harcourt.  The  old  General  said :  "  I  have 
heard  a  great  many  stories  concerning  Captain  Har- 
court. I  have  long  wanted  to  meet  some  man,  sincere 
and  honest,  who  can  answer  me  certain  questions  con- 
cerning another  life.  Religion,  as  it  has  been  taught, 
has  never  satisfied  me.  Politics,  the  world  in  which  I 
live,  is  empty  and  unsatisfactory,  when  it  should  be  the 
one  where  every  noble  ambition  should  be  gratified." 

When  General  Starr  was  presented  to  Captain  Har- 
court,  it  was  at  one  of  our  quiet  evening  gatherings. 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  1 87 

The  General  went  straight  to  the  mark  at  the  outset, 
by  saying  : 

"  Captain  Harcourt,  my  friend  here  has  told  me  a 
great  deal  about  you  of  late,  and  of  the  ideal  republic. 
I  had,  too,  my  ideals,  when  I  first  entered  public  life. 
Every  honest  man  has.  All  novitiates  in  a  public 
career  think  of  the  interests  of  the  public  and  not  their 
own.  But,  how  can  one  contend  against  a  system  that 
breeds  selfishness,  and  bids  us  call  forth  every  active 
effort  of  self  preservation  in  order  not  to  be  crushed." 

To  this  the  Captain  replied :  "  No  system  can  be 
changed  by  the  efforts  of  any  one  man.  But  that  does 
not  change  one's  duty.  It  is  the  duty  of  each  man  to 
live  up  to  the  best  there  is  within,  regardless  of  conse- 
quences. This  you  have  done,  General  Starr,  as  your 
poverty  now  shows.  You  have  unswervingly  adhered 
to  the  path  of  duty  as  you  have  seen  it,  and  if  there 
were  more  men  like  you  in  the  public  service,  the  ad- 
vance of  the  nation  would  be  greater  and  more  rapid." 

When  Captain  Harcourt  took  up  the  question  of  the 
immortal  soul  as  the  key-note  of  human  advancement, 
General  Starr  said  :  "  I  am  too  old-fashioned  to  go  into 
any  such  topic  as  that.  If  you  were  to  present  me  to 
my  immortal  soul,  as  you  have  my  friend  here,  I  should 
not  believe  it,  even  if  I  should  see  with  my  own  eyes  and 
hear  with  my  own  ears.  But  all  this  does  not  prevent 
me  from  believing  that  you,  yourself,  are  sincere,  and 
that  you  have  a  great  influence  in  certain  directions. 
I  believe  certain  impressionable  people  regard  you  as 
the  prophet  of  a  new  religion.  As  the  leader  of  a  new 
religion,  I  can  treat  with  you,  as  I  would  with  any  rec- 


1 88  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

ognized  force  met  by  me  in  politics.  I  want  your  as- 
sistance in  seeking  to  influence  the  President." 

"  In  seeking  to  influence  the  President  ?  "  I  asked,  in 
surprise. 

"  Yes  ;  that  is  it.  All  human  influences  of  an  ordinary 
kind  have  failed  to  control  him.  Now,  if  Captain  Har- 
court,  with  his  army  of  worshipers,  fails,  we  will  have 
to  give  him  up." 

Captain  Harcourt  turned,  with  an  air  of  attention,  as 
General  Starr  continued :  "  When  Senator  Norton 
fell  ill,  the  primary  cause  was  a  deep  mortification 
over  the  thought  that  the  President  had  conquered  him 
and  had  made  him  powerless.  Mrs.  Ray  was  the  oc- 
casion of  his  break-down.  The  proposed  duel,  and 
ridicule  consequent  upon  it,  he  could  have  soon  thrown 
off ;  but  Colonel  Wren,  the  President's  private  secre- 
tary, employed  detectives  to  work  up  the  case  of  Sena- 
tor Norton  and  Mrs.  Ray,  and  then  an  unofficial  per- 
son went  to  the  Senator,  and  told  him  that  if  he  dared 
to  raise  his  head  in  defiance  to  the  President  again, 
he  would  be  crushed.  At  this  very  time,  the  Sena- 
tor was  deeply  pained  at  Mrs.  Granger's  death,  having 
learned  of  Mrs.  Ray's  visit  to  the  Granger  house.  He 
broke  with  her  summarily,  and  so  furnished  the  Presi- 
dent with  additional  weapons — as  Mrs.  Ray,  with  her 
knowledge  of  official  life  and  its  intrigues,  is  an  enemy 
to  be  feared  by  any  man.  She  has  now  joined  the 
President's  forces,  and  Senator  Norton,  who  is  still  de- 
lirious from  fever,  is  being  enmeshed  in  the  folds  of  a 
combination,  which  will  certainly  ruin  him,  unless  the 
President  be  brought  to   relent.     Now,  Captain   Har- 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  1 89 

court,  can't  you  find,  among  the  ladies  who  come  to 
you,  some  one  adroit  enough  to  cut  the  claws  of  that 
she-cat  Ray,  and  disarm  the  President  at  the  same 
time  ?  The  entire  political  history  of  this  winter's  ad- 
ministration begins  and  ends  in  this  fight  between  the 
President  and  Senator  Norton  over  a  few  offices.  How 
many  lives  are  yearly  lost  and  ruined  in  such  struggles 
the  general  public  would  hardly  believe." 

"  What  would  you  have  me  do  ?  " 

"  Cultivate  the  President,  and  use  your  own  judg- 
ment. He  has,  recently,  heard  a  great  deal  about  you, 
and,  the  other  day,  I  heard  him  express  a  desire  to  see 
you.  He  is  very  superstitious,  and  has  heard  such  ex- 
aggerated stories  concerning  your  powers,  that  he  is 
disposed  to  give  you  a  large  credit.  I  dare  say  he 
would  like  to  ask  you  about  the  possibility  of  a  renom- 
ination. 

"  Now,  joking  aside,"  continued  the  General,  "  I  am 
myself  interested  in  you  and  your  theories  concerning 
the  future  of  our  nation.  God  knows  we  need  higher 
influences  in  our  political  life.  It  is  a  cruel  cut-throat 
fight,  at  present,  between  ambitious  individuals,  and  the 
public — to  use  a  common  expression — is  not  in  it. 
How  can  a  public  man  find  time  to  perform  his  duty, 
when  he  has  to  be  on  the  continuous  defense  against  a 
set  of  men  seeking  to  pull  him  down  and  capture  his 
place  ?  If  any  of  us  ever  have  a  real  desire  to  do  un- 
selfish things,  and  try  to  serve  the  public,  who  will  give 
us  credit  ?  Such  acts  are  construed  as  acts  of  weak- 
ness, or  as  bids  for  popularity  based  upon  presidential 
ambitions.  The  truth  is  :  as  old  a  hand  as  I  am,  I  have 


190  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

never  yet  found  any  particular  opportunity  to  do  any- 
thing really  amounting  to  anything.  I  may  have  been 
of  some  service  to  a  few  individuals,  and  I  have  found, 
besides  my  own  bread  and  butter,  a  small  slice  of 
fame.  That  comprises  my  record.  It  looks  more  pre- 
tentious than  that  in  the  Congressional  Directory,  I 
know.  Now,  permit  me  to  ask  you  a  few  questions, 
based   upon  the  information  given  me  by  my  friend." 

"  Do  you  claim  to  possess  any  supernatural  powers 
or  gifts?  " 

"  None  whatever." 

"  In  other  words,  what  you  can  do  is  within  the 
range  of  possibility  of  any  one  ?  " 

"  Most  assuredly." 

"You,  as  I  am  informed,  allege  that  you  see  your 
soul  as  an  individual,  and,  through  him,  see  things 
as  they  really  are.  You  learn,  from  this  higher  self, 
rules  of  conduct,  which,  you  say,  if  applied  to  our 
national  life,  would  advance  our  standard  of  civiliza- 
tion, and  give  us  public  men,  more  satisfactory  and 
more  worthy  objects  of  our  ambition.  Now,  in  what 
way  are  you  different  from  any  professional  teacher  of 
religion  or  morals?" 

"  In  theory,  not  much  different.  In  practice,  you 
might  find  the  code  of  the  Island  of  Nolos  slightly 
different." 

"  I  will  not  go  into  that,  for  the  moment,  but  will 
come  to  the  practical  application  of  the  superiority 
you  have  acquired  in  your  studies.  For  the  moment, 
I  concede  your  superiority  in  spiritual  and  moral 
power  to  be  all  my  friend  has  described  it  to  be.     But, 


A   MAX   AND    HIS    SOUL.  I9I 

in  what  way  have  you  been  able  to  help  him?  He 
had,  really,  great  faith  that,  in  attempting  to  save  his 
friend,  Granger,  if  he  failed  in  every  ordinary  direc- 
tion, in  you  he  would  find  the  extraordinary  means 
which  might  be  employed." 

"  I  had  no  power.  I  pretended  to  have  none.  I  can- 
not set  aside  the  results  of  an  event,  behind  which  is  a 
chain  of  logically  predisposing  causes.  I  have  never 
assumed  the  power  to  change  human  destinies.  Life 
can  be  influenced  or  controlled  at  the  beginning  of  one 
of  its  chapters,  but  the  only  miracles  are  those  which 
men  accomplish  within  themselves.  Each  man,  accord- 
ing to  Doctor  Longman,  can  know  his  higher  self  as 
an  individual  guide.  If  he  chooses  to  follow  his  ad- 
vice, he  will  be  wise." 

"  How  does  your  idea  of  the  soul-control  differ  from 
the  religious  idea  of  conscience  ?  " 

"  In  theory,  it  does  not  differ.  But  our  belief  and 
practice  make  the  conscience,  if  you  will,  a  practical, 
visible  force.  All  the  great  accomplishments  of  men 
come  from  their  higher  development." 

"In  what  you  propose,  do  you  seek  to  antagonize 
existing  religious  forms  ?  " 

"  In  no  way.  We  do  not  seek  to  drive  out  anything 
that  does  good,  or  which  lives  up  to  its  honest  profes- 
sions. Organized  religious  societies  do  great  good : 
but  they  all  need  remodeling,  simplifying.  They 
should  all  go  back  to  first  principles.  Let  them  follow 
more  closely  the  doctrines  of  their  faith,  and  let  them, 
above  all,  concentrate  their  attention  upon  the  poor 
and  the  outcast.     When  Doctor  Longman's  belief  be- 


192  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

gins  to  spread,  you  will  find  only  a  live,  modern 
agency,  ready  to  co-operate  heartily  with  every  form 
of  organized  good,  while  it  will,  at  the  same  time,  cut 
mercilessly  at  humbug  or  pretense,  no  matter  under 
what  name  of  holiness  it  may  be  hiding." 

"  Give  me  a  practical  illustration  of  what  you  pro- 
pose to  do." 

"  First  and  foremost,  to  form  a  chain  of  socie- 
ties devoted  to  love,  charity,  kindness  towards  our 
fellows  ;  in  other  words,  universal  brotherhood.  No 
form  of  belief  should  be  required  after  accepting 
the  sole  requirement  of  the  order  of  brotherhood — 
to  love  his  fellows.  A  member  may  believe  in  one 
God  or  twenty,  and  he  may  not  believe  in  God 
at  all,  as  he  is  theologically  taught.  All  we  ask  is 
intellectual  honesty,  and  no  hypocrisy.  We  will 
establish  throughout  the  world,  great  temples  which 
shall  always  be  open,  well  warmed  and  lighted.  No 
poor  person  shall  ever  be  denied  a  shelter  under 
their  roofs.  In  these  temples  there  will  always  be 
found,  night  or  day,  members  of  the  society,  ready 
to  advise  or  instruct  those  who  seek  for  information 
or  aid.  They  must  be  beautiful,  for  in  nothing  are 
the  poor  so  starved  as  they  are  of  the  beautiful.  In 
them  and  their  divisions  there  will  be  schools,  where 
everything  relating  to  the  comfort,  the  economies, 
and  the  true  pleasures  of  life,  will  be  taught ;  and, 
at  intervals,  during  the  day  and  evening,  there  should 
be  beautiful  music.  Look  at  the  churches  of  to-day 
— great  fortresses,  representing  millions  of  capital,  but 
closed  during  the   greater  part  of  the  time,  and,  with 


A    MAX   AND   HIS   SOUL.  1 93 

the  single  exception  of  the  Catholic  Church,  never  open 
for  the  poor."' 

"  Would  you  have  sermons  ?  " 

"  The  world  has  had  enough  sermonizing.  We  would 
have  no  dull  expositions  of  dead  creeds,  but  lectures 
upon  the  art  of  living,  correct  thinking,  and  the  true 
way  to  arrive  at  human  happiness.  These  lectures 
should  be  made  by  our  most  eloquent  members.  We 
would  make  a  wide  departure  from  the  churches,  in 
that  we  should  always  have  our  temples  open  to  free 
discussions.  Every  speaker  should  be  prepared  to  sus- 
tain his  views  against  all  comers.  Discussion  would  be 
invited.  One-sided  discourses  invite  intellectual  stag- 
nation, while  the  clash  of  intellectual  strife  is  the  most 
quickening  of  influences  to  the  spirit.  You  will  find 
Doctor  Longman  intensely  practical.  He  labors  to 
form  the  intelligent  and  the  well-to-do  of  this  world 
into  such  a  compact  organization,  that  they  can,  by 
such  union,  abolish  crime,  poverty  and  suffering." 

The  eyes  of  the  old  soldier  flashed.  "  I  don't  care 
for  your  mystical  side — this  meeting  of  the  immortal 
soul,"  said  he,  "but  I  am  with  you  on  your  practical 
side.  You  can  count  on  me  as  one  of  your  society 
members,  if  you  can  only  make  it  stick  to  the  code  you 
lay  down  ;  but,  I  fear,  a  very  long  time  will  pass  before 
you  will  gain  over  the  following  necessary  to  make  any 
real  impression  upon  the  sin,  suffering  and  poverty  in 
this  world.  I  am  proud  that  I  have  enough  emotion 
left  in  me  to  be  impressed  by  your  plans.'' 

Captain  Harcourt  replied  :  "  It  will  take  some  time; 
but,  perhaps,  not  so  long  as  you  think.   People  through- 


194  A  MAN  AND   HIS   SOUL. 

out  the  world  are  weary  of  the  husks  of  religion,  and 
are  looking  more  for  its  real  spirit  and  essence.  The 
day  for  the  threshing  of  dogmas  is  rapidly  passing. 
The  world,  already,  is  asking,  not  what  a  man  believes, 
or  professes  to  believe,  but  what  he  really  is.  Those 
who  lead  in  this  enterprise  cannot  fail,  General  Starr, 
because " 

"  Because  ?" 

"  Because  the  leaders  are  guided,  and  will  be  guided, 
by  their  souls.  Only  those  who  are  in  close  and 
intimate  daily  communication  with  their  individual 
souls  shall  be  founders  of  this  order !  " 

The  conversation  went  on  for  some  time,  the  General 
saying,  as  he  finally  arose  to  go  :  "  Captain  Harcourt, 
you  have  made  a  convert  of  me,  and  have  taught  me 
what  I  had  long  ceased  to  believe — that  there  was  any 
real  object  in  life.  If  you  could  impress  the  President, 
as  you  have  impressed  me,  you  might,  perhaps,  per- 
suade him  to  renounce  his  obstinacy,  and  to  give  up 
his  contentions  with  his  associates.  If  we  really  had  a 
high-minded  President  in  the  White  House,  who  fol- 
lowed the  code  of  the  Island  of  Nolos,  then,  perhaps, 
he  might  influence  some  of  us  public  men  to  give  a 
more  loyal  following  to  his  executive  suggestions." 


195 


CHAPTER  XX. 

GENERAL    STARR   AND    CAPTAIN    HARCOURT    TALK   OF 

THE   EVIDENCES   OF  ANOTHER   LIFE.      DOES 

DEATH    END   ALL? 

I  had  been  so  occupied  in  following  the  pictures  of 
an  ideal  world,  that  I  had  quite  neglected  the  real  one, 
where  I  had  had  most  active  duties  to  perform.  I  now 
received  a  long  letter  of  complaint  from  the  chief  editor 
of  my  newspaper.  He  said  I  was  losing  my  sense  of 
news  values.  I  had  passed  over  the  most  sensational 
matter  in  the  most  perfunctory  fashion.  My  absence 
of  interest  in  current  things  he  could  not  account  for, 
unless  I  was  ill,  or  beginning  to  run  down.  As  he  was 
a  personal  friend,  he  criticised  me  with  all  possible 
gentleness.  He  advised  me  to  take  three  months'  vaca- 
tion, and  seek  a  change  of  scene. 

But  I  refused  to  go  away.  I  accepted  the  vacation 
from  my  work,  but  decided  to  remain  with  my  friend, 
and  watch  the  growth  of  the  founding  of  the  new 
movement,  that  embraced  in  it  so  many  features  of  the 
doctrines  of  Theosophy,  without  any  of  the  apparent 
mysteries  of  that  cult,  as  it  had  been  taught.  There 
was  a  simplicity  and  a  directness  about  Captain  Har- 
court's  methods  that  constantly  attracted  me. 

Yet,  in   spite  of  what   I   had  seen   and   felt  in  his 


I96  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

presence,  away  from  him,  doubts  would  come.  Nothing 
made  a  greater  impression  upon  me,  at  this  time,  than 
a  story  related  to  me  by  General  Starr,  giving  an  actual 
experience  of  his  with  an  officer  of  his  command. 

The  question  came  up  on  another  occasion,  when 
General  Starr  called  upon  Captain  Harcourt  to  invite 
him  to  go  with  him,  upon  the  following  evening,  to  call 
upon  the  President.  The  latter  was  anxious  to  see 
Captain  Harcourt,  and  the  details  of  the  arrangement 
for  a  meeting  at  the  White  House  were  made,  without 
difficulty,  by  the  General. 

After  the  talk  upon  this  subject  was  completed,  the 
General  said :  "  You  speak  so  confidently,  Captain 
Harcourt,  about  death  and  another  life,  I  wish  you 
would  explain  to  me  an  incident  that  occurred 
during  the  year  following  the  war.  A  staff-officer  of 
mine,  who  settled  down  near  me  as  a  neighbor,  fell  ill, 
one  severe  winter  day,  with  pneumonia.  To  all  appear- 
ance, he  died,  and  was  buried.  The  night  of  his  burial 
his  body  was  stolen  from  its  grave,  a  country  cemetery, 
by  a  band  of  medical  students,  and  his  body  carried 
straight  to  the  dissecting  table  of  our  town  hospital. 
Just  as  the  knives  were  about  to  be  plunged  into  the 
corpse,  my  friend  opened  his  eyes,  and  asked  for  a 
drink  of  water.  After  a  moment  of  fright,  the  students 
rallied  about  him,  and  he  was,  slowly,  but  surely, 
brought  back  to  full  consciousness.  Here  was  a  man 
who,  to  all  appearances,  had  died — had  been  actually 
buried  in  the  grave,  where  no  air  could  reach  him — 
and,  having  died  from  pneumonia,  must  have  been  re- 
garded by  the   medical  men  as  having  absolutely  no 


A    MAX    AND    HIS    SOUL.  1 97 

chance  for  being  a  victim  of  suspended  animation.  Yet, 
his  description  of  his  own  death,  and  the  resultant  state, 
has  done  more  to  make  me  doubt  whether  there  is 
really  another  life  after  this  than  all  the  arguments  of 
the  straightest  of  infidels.  Now,  if  you  can  relieve  my 
mind  of  that  doubt,  you  will  give  me  a  better  heart  for 
the  religion  of  my  fathers,  which  I  have  long  pro- 
fessed ;  but,  in  my  innermost  heart,  never  have  fully 
believed." 

"  Go  on." 

"  This  is  the  story  he  tells  of  his  death.  As  physical 
life  became  low,  his  brain  cleared.  All  pain  had 
gone.  He  felt  that  he  was  much  better.  He  wanted 
to  tell  those  about  him  that  he  was  surely  going  to  get 
well,  but  he  could  not  lift  a  finger,  or,  even,  move  his 
eyelids.  He  heard  every  sound  in  the  room.  The 
words  of  pity  from  the  watchers,  concerning  his  evident 
misery  and  suffering,  amazed  him.  Then  he  heard 
some  one  say  that  the  sun  was  shining  in  his  face,  and 
to  drop  the  curtain.  To  him  the  sun  had  been  gone 
for  hours.  Then  he  thought,  for  the  first  time,  of 
death,  and,  then,  that  he  was  dying.  A  delicious 
languor  stole  over  him.  He  felt  an  imperious  desire 
to  go  to  sleep,  and  even  wanted  to  turn  over  on  his 
side,  but  could  not  move.  Then  he  fell  asleep,  and 
became  unconscious." 

"Well?" 

"  He  did  not  recover  consciousness  again  until  he 
felt  the  sensation  of  thirst  upon  the  dissecting  table. 
Now,  mark  you,  he  was,  for  all  practical  purposes, 
dead,  and,  as  a  dead   man,  he  slept.     When  he  awoke, 


I98  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

he  remembered  even  less  than  from  the  slumber  of  a 
night.  This  experience,  so  clearly  and  succinctly- 
told,  has  implanted,  in  my  mind,  the  thought  that 
death  may,  after  all,  be  a  kind  and  merciful  sleep  that 
knows  no  wakening.  If  there  is  a  consciousness  after- 
wards, why  did  not  my  friend,  whose  mind  was  so 
clear  up  to  the  very  last,  pierce  the  veil  and  seize  upon 
even  a  fragment  of  a  view  of  the  life  beyond?" 

"  General  Starr,"  said  Captain  Harcourt,  "  is  that  all 
your  logic  can  find  in  that  incident  ?  Do  you  not  see 
that  the  consciousness  of  the  other  life  did  not  come 
because  life  still  clung  to  the  body.  The  spark  of  life 
was  low,  but  it  was  still  there,  and  so  the  physical  life 
controlled.  Had  this  spark  been  actually  extinguished, 
then  spiritual  consciousness  would  soon  have  been 
awakened.  We  sink  to  sleep  in  death.  The  first  stage 
of  the  departure  from  life  was  very  correctly  described 
by  your  friend  ;  but,  if  he  had  not  remained  there,  then 
he  could  not  have  returned  to  you  as  a  living  witness." 

"  What  do  you  know  about  the  other  life  ?  Oh,  I 
forget :  a  man  who  has  an  immortal  double  should 
know  something.  Well,  if  you  tell  me  there  is  another 
life,  and  that  you  know  it,  then  I  shall  be  willing  to 
accept  you,  at  least,  as  an  honest  witness." 

"  I  think  every  sane,  honest  man  can  find  within 
himself  the  proof  of  his  own  immortality.  It  comes 
from  self-study.  Nothing  created  is  ever  destroyed. 
There  is  no  exception  to  the  rule  of  the  indestructi- 
bility of  matter.  If  matter  created  is  indestructible, 
then  life,  which  is  higher,  and  controls  matter,  is 
equally  indestructible.      Man    can    find   what    he   will. 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  I99 

Immersed  in  material  things,  we  become  materialists 
and  doubters.  A  man  who  cultivates  his  higher  and 
spiritual  side  soon  learns  the  irresistible  logic  of  not 
only  another  life,  but  of  a  succession  of  lives.  For,  in 
nature,  there  is  never  any  rest." 

"  But,  if  people  are  to  live  over  and  over  again,  and 
advance  upon  the  upward  grade  of  a  higher  develop- 
.ment,  through  endless  cycles  of  time,  what  becomes  of 
human  ties — the  home  affections?  All  do  not  advance 
equally." 

"  You  see,  in  the  heavens,  countless  systems  of 
stars,  moving  through  space,  united  and  attracted  to  a 
common  center,  which  travels  on  with  the  whole  vast, 
visible  host  of  heavenly  bodies,  in  one  solidarity  of 
movement,  that  is  the  wonder  of  the  scientific  world. 
Everything  is  in  motion  ;  even  the  vast  Universe  moves. 
So  it  is  not  hard  to  conceive,  in  studying  this  incom- 
parable magnificence  of  the  working  of  divine  law,  that 
countless  spirits,  attracted  about  some  common  center 
of  affection,  move  onward  along  differing  lines  ;  but, 
yet,  belonging,  in  the  best  sense,  to  each  other,  as  they 
did  in  the  lower  plane  of  existence." 

"  I  wish  I  could  see  something  of  this  with  my  own 
eyes,"  said  the  General.  "The  other  night,  I  said  that 
I  did  not  want  to  ;  but,  now,  I  believe,  I  have  the 
courage  to  face  my  own  soul,  and  be  very  grateful  to 
you  if  you  can  convince  me  that  I  have  one." 

"  You  express  a  wish  that  should  exist  with  every 
one.  I  know  of  no  more  important  question  than  the 
one  which  concerns  a  future  life.  Men  toil  and  struggle 
in  this  world  to  find  comfort  and   happiness  in  a  brief 


200  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

space  of  earthly  existence  ;  but  the  majority  of  them 
ignore  questions  directed  to  this  subject  of  vital  im- 
portance— do  we  live  again  ?  Yet,  as  with  subjects 
outside  of  the  routine,  people  who  give  much  attention 
to  this  most  important  subject  in  the  world  are  re- 
garded as  men  of  feeble  minds,  or  possessing  unsound 
judgment." 

"  Cranks,"  said  the  General. 

"  Yes,"  said  the  Captain  ;  "  the  subject  of  another 
life  must  be  pursued  under  the  cover  of  the  Church — 
under  the  direction  of  the  organized  clergy — in  order 
to  command  respect.  But  what  does  the  Church 
teach  ?  That  the  spirits  who  return  to  the  earth  are 
devils,  and  that  only  danger  can  result  from  the  study 
of  such  subjects.  So  great  is  the  public  prejudice  out- 
wardly displayed,  that  the  people  who  might  give  evi- 
dence of  a  valuable  character  are  discredited  in  every 
possible  way.  Now,  all  this  will  be  changed  in  the 
future." 

"In  what  way?" 

"  Some  day  this  will  become  a  great  public  question. 
The  work  of  the  Society  for  Psychical  Research  is  pre- 
paring the  way  for  it.  Some  day,  public  moneys  will 
be  voted  for  the  conduct  of  such  investigations.  Con- 
gress has  given  thousands  of  dollars  to  find  the  path 
to  the  North  Pole — why  should  it  not  appropriate 
money  for  an  honest  research  to  prove  or  disprove  the 
existence  of  another  world  than  this  ?  " 

"  Well,  that  is  an  idea."  The  General  laughed.  "  I 
can  imagine  the  sensation  that  would  be  created  if  a 
bill  to  that  effect  were  to  be  introduced  in  the  Senate. 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  201 

Such  a  senator  would  be,  undoubtedly,  classed  as  a 
lunatic." 

"  Unquestionably ;  but,  every  day,  money  is  appro- 
priated for  idler  objects,  and  no  one  questions." 

"  That  is  because  the  money  is  to  be  sent  for  ac- 
customed objects,  even  if  such  spending  is  often 
regarded  as  idle  waste.  Yet,  you  will  see,  in  the 
future  enlightened  years,  money  spent  by  the  Govern- 
ment in  just  such  directions.  People  divinely  gifted 
will,  then,  be  objects  of  care  and  protection.  They  will 
be  freed  from  the  care  of  money-getting,  and  sur- 
rounded by  every  aid  to  uphold  their  honesty  and 
truthfulness.  No  one  ever  need  be  afraid  of  the  truth, 
wherever  found.  Spiritual  investigations,  put  in  high 
hands,  conducted  in  the  open  light  of  public  criticism 
and  observation,  would  result  in  something  practical. 
Every  man  in  the  civilized  world  really  wishes  to  be- 
lieve in  his  immortal  part,  and  every  one  would  welcome 
proofs  coming  to  him  from  high  and  unquestionable 
sources.  But,  still,  the  greatest  evidence  of  another 
life  will  not  come  from  this  source.  It  will  only  pre- 
pare the  .way  for  the  absolute  proof,  which  will  be 
given  to  the  world  by  the  scientists." 

"  By  the  scientists  ?  " 

"  The  scientific  men  are  the  salt  of  the  earth.  To 
them  the  human  race  owes  more  than  to  all  its  so-called 
spiritual  advisers.  These  gentlemen  have  one  watch- 
word, viz.,  '  the  truth  ' ;  and  but  one  motto,  and  that  is, 
'  prove  all  things.'  " 

"In  what  way  will  the  scientists  be  able  to  give  the 
absolute  evidence  of  another  life  beyond  this?" 


202  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

"  In  the  simplest  possible  way.  The  development 
of  modern  science,  already,  is  upon  the  track  of  con- 
ducting electricity  upon  the  waves  of  the  ether  of  the 
Universe,  so  that  messages  have  been  clearly  sent  for 
short  distances  without  the  medium  of  wires.  Well, 
this  system  will  be  completed  in  time,  so  that  we  will 
be  able  to  receive  messages  from  the  neighboring 
planets  which  are  inhabited." 

"  But,  suppose  that  were  true,  how  could  we  under- 
stand the  language  of  the  messages?" 

"  The  intelligence  of  the  scholars  of  modern  times, 
which  has  learned,  with  ease,  to  read  the  hiero- 
glyphics of  the  cuneiform  period,  would  find  it  a 
light  task  to  read  the  language  of  the  superior  races, 
upon  the  higher  planes  of  other  planet  life.  From 
the  experience  of  the  life  of  a  people  who  have 
passed  through  the  grade  of  animalism,  in  which  the 
earth  still  dwells,  we  would  soon  learn  to  measure  the 
littleness  of  our  present  methods,  and  the  degrading 
selfishness  of  the  ordinary  pursuits  of  the  being  known 
as  man." 

"  Well,  I  am  sure,  I  should  be  delighted,  to  read 
such  messages,  if  they  were  honestly  recorded.  I  fancy, 
however,  that  it  would  take  a  very  strong  corps  of 
savants  to  convince  the  United  States  Senate  that 
there  was  any  body  of  men  anywhere  in  the  Universe 
that  could  teach  them  lessons  in  wisdom." 

Here,  the  General  continued  :  "  Some  way,  your  voice 
has  such  a  convincing  accent.  Almost  without  knowing 
why,  I  am  ready  to  believe  all  you  say,  as  if  you  were 
an  actual  witness  of  the  things  you   assert  so  dogmati- 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  203 

cally.  Heavens !  what  an  experience  it  would  be  to 
occupy  a  seat  in  a  Senate,  where  the  gifts  of  office  and 
the  spoils  of  power  were  brushed  away,  and  where 
great  questions  and  unselfish  issues,  alone,  could  ob- 
tain. I  could  face  the  quest  of  my  immortal  soul  with 
infinite  patience,  Captain  Harcourt ;  why  can't  you  do 
as  much  for  me  as  you  have  for  my  friend?" 
To  this  the  Captain  only  replied  :  "  Wait." 
And  the  General  added:  "All  things  come  to  him 
who  has  learned  to  stand  and  wait." 


204 


CHAPTER   XXI. 

I    INVOKE,    ALONE,    MY   SOUL   AND    RECEIVE    SOME   DI- 
RECTIONS  FOR   SPIRITUAL  DEVELOPMENT. 

This  story,  in  all  its  bearings,  must,  of  a  necessity, 
center  about  Captain  Harcourt,  who  came  to  this 
country  as  the  prophet  of  a  new  cause.  The  propaga- 
tion of  his  teachings  explains,  to  a  degree,  the  sudden 
passion  for  doing  good  that  is  now  so  rapidly  being 
developed  among  us.  If  this  movement  increases  in 
the  future  with  rapidity  similar  to  that  of  the  last  five 
years,  there  will  come  a  time,  predicted  by  my  friend, 
when  the  poor  and  desolate  will  become  so  few  in  num- 
ber, that  there  will  not  be  enough  left  to  occupy  the 
rapidly  growing  host  of  philanthropists.  In  nothing  was 
he  so  impressive  and  emphatic  as  in  his  teaching  the  doc- 
trine of  kindness  and  charity. 

"  In  no  other  way,"  said  he,  "  can  the  difference  be- 
tween classes  be  modified.  Through  no  other  means 
can  labor  and  capital  be  reconciled.  The  exercise  of 
the  brute  power  of  might  must  pass.  Neither  are  we 
to  keep  all  of  our  charity  for  the  poor.  Many  of  the 
rich  are  in  as  dire  need  of  help.  In  life  there  are  the 
two  extremes  of  unhappiness  and  happiness.  Each 
person  is  rightfully  entitled  to  happiness.  A  rich  man, 
deprived  of  happiness,  is  quite  as  much  an  object  of 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  205 

charity  as  the  poor  man.  He  stands  quite  as  much  in 
need  of  being  directed  and  taught  how  to  live,  as  his, 
apparently,  more  unfortunate  brother." 

In  his  visit  to  Washington,  the  Captain  sought  to  in- 
terest those  who  were  in  such  positions  of  authority, 
that  the  effect  of  their  conversion  should  have  the 
widest  influence.  So  it  was  with  pleasure  that  he 
looked  forward  to  his  visit  to  the  President.  He  had 
never,  so  far  as  I  had  heard,  introduced  any  one  to  his 
soul  by  the  direct  means  employed  with  myself.  He 
had  always  stopped  short  upon  the  threshold  of  possi- 
bility, leaving  the  seeker  interested  by  suggestions  of  a 
future  beyond  the  material  environments  that  surround 
us.  "For,"  said  he,  "unless  you  can  have  this  hope 
before  you,  then  unselfishness  is  foolish.  There  is  no 
longer  any  reason  for  not  crushing  your  fellow,  and  the 
obtaining,  by  fair  or  foul  means,  the  means  for  main- 
taining a  footing  of  superiority  in  a  world  marked  by 
the  exact  limitations  of  the  cradle  and  the  grave.  But 
the  moment  you  concede  a  future  existence,  then  the 
reasons  for  the  opposite  course  are  equally  clear. 
How  important,  therefore,  to  see  clearly !  " 

"  Will  you  introduce  the  President  to  his  soul,  when 
you  go  to  see  him  ?  " 

"  Yes.  He  will  see  him  once.  Whether  again  or 
not,  will  depend  upon  his  will.  I  shall  present  to  him 
a  view  of  his  real  surroundings,  and,  in  so  doing,  I  shall 
give  him  the  point  of  comparisons,  by  showing  some  of 
the  possibilities  of  his  great  office,  as  the  chief  magis- 
trate of  one  of  the  most  powerful  nations  of  the  world." 

When  evening  came  of  the  day  that  the  Captain  was 


206  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

to  go  to  the  White  House,  he  sent  for  me,  and  told  me 
that  I  had  permission  to  go  with  him. 

"  But,"  said  I,  "  the  President  would  not  consent. 
He  would  rather  give  up  seeing  you,  than  to  run  the 
risk  of  having  a  word  about  it  in  the  newspapers." 

"  I  know  that.  But  you  are  not  writing  now,  and  I 
bring  you  there  as  my  associate.  I  am  beginning  to 
find  great  help  in  you,  and  as  I  wish  to  make,  during 
this  night,  the  final  demonstrations  devised  by  Doctor 
Longman,  I  wish  you  to  be  with  me  and  make  full  ob- 
servations of  what  is  done.  For,  when  this  night  is 
passed,  I  must  be  on  my  way  elsewhere,  leaving  the 
threads  of  the  undeveloped  work  in  your  hands." 

"You  are  going  away?"  said  I,  in  alarm. 

"  Yes  ;  and  at  once.  To-morrow ;  but  I  shall  re- 
main in  constant  communication  with  you.  If  your 
faith  is  strong,  you  will  have  at  hand  the  means  of 
happiness.  That  is  a  cult  you  will  learn  in  time  ;  but  I 
warn  you  that  if  your  faith  wavers,  you  will,  in  the  end, 
be  more  unhappy  than  before.  Then  your  only  safety 
will  be  to  go  at  once  to  the  Island  of  Nolos,  and  place 
yourself  in  the  hands  of  Doctor  Longman,  whose 
strength  is  greater  than  mine  by  an  hundred  fold.  I 
have  given  you  the  best  counsel  that  is  within  me,  but 
I  am  but  a  novice  in  the  initiation  of  others  to  the 
mystery  of  direct  soul-communication.  You  should 
be  successful  in  seeing  your  own  soul,  unaided,  by  this 
time.  Once  you  reach  that  point,  then  you  will  have 
an  ally  against  doubt.  But,  in  working  alone,  you 
must  not  expect  to  reach  at  once  the  same  success  you 
have  had  with  the  aid  of  my  strength.     You  have  time 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  207 

to  try  the  experiment  this  evening,  as  we  are  not  to  go 

to  the  White  House  before  midnight.    Go,  now,  to  your 

own  room,  and  evoke  the  visual  presence  of  your  own 

soul." 

"  But  how  can  I  do  that  ?     What  directions  shall  I 

follow  ?" 

"  Go  to  your  room,  sit  down  quietly,  and  wait.    Take 

the  Egyptian  mirror  with  you  ;  keep  your  eyes  fixed 
tranquilly  upon  its  surface,  and  do  not  be  too  anxious. 

Be  calm  and  patient.     I  will  help   you  from  here  ;  but, 
if  you  succeed  now,  you  will  have  less  difficulty  when 

I  am  at  a  distance." 

I  went  back  to  my  room,  lighted  my  gas,  and  sat 
down  in  front  of  my  writing-table,  under  the  central 
light  of  the  room.  I  placed  the  mirror  at  the  right  of 
a  mass  of  blank  white  paper.  I  picked  up  a  pen,  dipped 
it  in  the  ink,  and  idly  gazed  upon  the  dark  mirror  as  I 
sketched,  loosely,  the  fragmentary  heads  that  steal 
out  so  easily  from  under  a  pen  held  in  an  idle  hand. 
Suddenly,  my  arm  stiffened,  and  I  was  thrilled  by  the 
sensation  of  a  foreign  control  of  my  arm.  I  had  heard 
of  automatic  writing,  but  I  had  never  thought,  for  a 
moment,  that  I  possessed  any  such  ability.  It  was 
with  a  thrill  of  expectation  that  I  felt  my  muscles  act- 
ing under  the  direction  of  an  unseen  influence.  Sud- 
denly, my  arm  became  rigid,  and  the  pen  began  to 
move  awkwardly.  A  few  clumsy  marks  were  made, 
and  then  words  began  to  form.  I  watched,  with  eager 
attention.  In  a  moment,  the  following  was  written  : 
"  Don't  believe  all  you  see." 
Here  was  a  shock  to  my  belief,  and,  as  my  hand  con- 


208  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

tinued  to  form  words  and  phrases,  I  found  nothing  in 
them  of  point,  sense  or  meaning.  As  I  tossed  the  pen 
aside,  with  impatience,  I  felt  doubts  again  stealing  over 
me.  What  was  all  this  juggling  with  absurdities? 
Then,  suddenly,  came  to  my  mind  the  memory  of  a  man, 
a  former  friend,  who  had  become  insane.  His  first 
symptom  of  aberration,  as  described  by  his  physician, 
was  the  aimless  scribbling  of  faces  and  meaningless 
phrases  upon  every  scrap  of  paper  within  his  reach. 
But  all  this  was  not  obeying  Captain  Harcourt's  re- 
quest. I  fought  away  the  doubts,  the  fear  of  the  ridicule 
that  follows  upon  the  heels  of  the  unusual,  and  turned 
to  the  mirror.  I  looked,  long  and  patiently,  but  it  was 
an  hour  before  I  saw  any  change  upon  its  surface. 
Then  the  gray  shadows  began  to  form,  and  a  spirit  of 
tranquility  took  possession  of  me. 

Then,  after  a  few  moments,  I  saw,  in  the  depths  of 
the  dull,  black  surface  of  the  mirror,  the  shadowy  out- 
lines of  my  second  self.  After  a  time,  the  vision  in  the 
mirror  faded,  and  I  saw,  seated  near  me,  my  soul,  but 
not  presenting  the  solidity  of  form  shown  when  I  had 
met  him  in  the  rooms  of  Captain  Harcourt. 

He  was  now  a  transparent,  gray,  shadowy  form,  and 
no  word  from  him  reached  my  ear.  But  to  my  con- 
sciousness there  came  the  answers  to  my  questions,  in 
quite  as  clear  a  way  as  if  we  had  used  ordinary  speech. 
Almost  the  first  thing  said  to  me  by  my  soul,  was  this : 

"You  began  wrong  when  you  came  to  this  room  to 
invoke  my  presence." 

"  You  mean  the  surrender  of  my  hand  to  a  seeming 
automatic  control  of  an  unknown  force  ?  " 


A   MAX   AND   HIS   SOUL.  209 

"Yes  ;  never  surrender  one  bit  of  your  individuality 
to  any  influence  outside  of  yourself,  except  under  con- 
ditions of  permission  that  can  be  rigidly  controlled  by 
your  will.  In  ignoring  this  condition  lies  all  the  evil 
of  spiritual  investigations.  There  is  no  subject  in  the 
world  so  harmful  as  the  investigation  of  spiritual  phe- 
nomena, unless  careful  conditions  are  observed.  Its 
laws  will,  ultimately,  be  made  clear  by  the  scientific 
world,  so  that  the  blunders  and  evils  brought  about  by 
ignorant  investigation  will  be  avoided.  You,  in  sitting 
here,  allowed,  without  thought,  your  hand  to  be  seized 
upon,  and  the  result  was  a  meaningless  gabble,  brought 
to  you  by  the  rush  of  low  spiritual  elements,  which 
always  seek  to  control  when  the  physical  control  of  an 
individual  is  surrendered.  Preserve  your  own  individu- 
ality always.  Observe,  in  any  study  of  the  immaterial 
wrorld,  carefully,  the  rule  of  cultivating  only  what  shall 
contribute  to  your  own  spiritual  advancement.  Such 
cultivation  is  not  found  in  mixed  assemblages,  but 
rather  in  solitude.  When  one  is  alone,  he  should  give 
his  thoughts  to  the  best  that  there  is  within  him,  as 
such  thoughts  attract  to  him  the  influences  of  the  good, 
and  so  great  results  are  often  accomplished,  beyond 
the  natural  capacity  of  the  seeker.  Remember,  all  the 
great  workers  and  leaders  of  the  world  are  those  who, 
while  in  earnest  sympathy  with  their  fellows,  yet  have 
matured  all  that  there  is  of  the  good  and  great  within 
them,  in  self-communion  and  solitude." 

"  Do  you  mean  that  one  does  not  gain  by  association 
with  his  fellows?" 

"  There   is   a    loss    and    a    gain.     But    no    man    can 


2IO  A   MAN  AND   HIS   SOUL. 

achieve  greatness  who  has  not  learned  the  art  of  living 
to  himself,  nor  can  he  develop  to  the  plane  of  great- 
ness without  the  fructifying  influences  of  solitude. 
Nearly  all  of  the  great  men  in  history  owe  their 
strength  to  country  breeding.  The  city  saps  the  vital 
personality,  the  individual  man,  no  matter  how  it  may 
train  him  in  the  sharp  discipline  of  its  hurried  striv- 
ings. No  man  can  hold  his  force  and  escape  deteriora- 
tion, who  does  not  keep  in  close  touch  with  nature 
and  her  wholesome  surroundings.  To  cultivate  the 
spirituality  that  surrounds  one's  self,  is  to  strengthen, 
to  the  highest  degree,  the  possibilities  of  one's  nature. 
To  seek  to  cultivate  this  same  spirituality  through 
vulgar  means  of  the  interpretation  of  others,  is  at  once 
a  surrender  of  one's  own  individuality  and  a  loss." 

"  By  this  you  mean  that  each  person  holds  within 
himself  the  full  power  to  receive  the  messages  of  the 
other  world,  and  to  develop,  within  the  limits  of  his 
own  individuality,  all  that  is  necessary  to  be  known  to 
prove  the  existence  of  another  life  ?  " 

"That  is  my  meaning.  The  material  phenomena  of 
Spiritualism  should  always  be  investigated  by  scientific 
people  of  careful  and  well-established  reputations, 
under  kindly  and  favoring  conditions.  Their  reports, 
alone,  can  have  any  value  as  evidence.  There  is  a 
class,  and  there  will  be,  for  some  time,  who  wish  to 
have  material  evidence  of  the  existence  of  another  life  ; 
but,  I  repeat,  the  best  evidence  is  what  one  finds  him- 
self, and  within  himself.  The  greatness  of  any  indi- 
vidual is  measured  exactly  by  his  capacity  to  receive." 

"  If  that  were  fully  understood  and  believed,  men 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  211 

would  have  selfish  reasons  for  devoting  their  lives  to 
the  highest  development  of  their  natures." 

"  If  you  look  at  the  various  causes  which  make  this 
or  that  man  stand  out  superior  to  his  fellows,  you  will 
find,  nearly  always,  the  reason  to  be,  admittedly,  out- 
side of  himself.  In  all  the  callings  of  life,  in  which 
beauty  is  the  underlying  motive,  such  as  music,  poetry, 
or  the  arts,  you  have  inspiration  conceded  by  every 
one.  To  say  that  a  poet,  a  musician,  or  an  artist,  is 
inspired,  is  to  pay  him  the  highest  of  compliments,  and 
one  that  even  the  most  prejudiced  in  spiritual  matters 
accepts  as  a  compliment.  If  the  world  believes  in  in- 
spiration in  these  higher  matters,  it  is  logical  that 
inspiration — that  is,  help  from  a  higher  source — can  be 
had  for  every  walk  of  life,  provided  one  places  himself 
in  the  way  of  receiving  such  help." 

"You  could  have,  then,  according  to  your  view,  an 
inspired  day  laborer." 

"Certainly." 

"  What  should  one  do  to  place  himself  in  the  way  of 
receiving  such  help  ?  " 

"  It  is  simple,  and  yet  difficult.  One  should  culti- 
vate, first  of  all,  great  tranquility  of  the  mind.  Employ 
every  agency  to  avoid  misfortune  ;  but  bear,  patiently, 
what  cannot  be  avoided.  Avoid  inharmonious  com- 
panionships— everything  that  has  a  tendency  to  fetter 
or  degrade  the  individuality.  Live  simply,  and  culti- 
vate your  powers  of  perception,  so  that  you  can  have, 
always,  an  occupation  for  the  mind,  to  save  it  from  fall- 
ing into  harassing  ruts.  A  man  who  thinks,  steadily,  of 
the  happiness  and  comfort  of  others  is  on  the  high  road 


212  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

to  happiness  and  comfort  himself.  Avoid  all  unkind- 
ness,  as  you  would  the  plague.  Live,  as  much  as  you 
can,  in  the  open  air,  and  in  the  sun.  The  man  who  has 
fully  developed  his  individuality,  and  who  has  fortified 
it  against  doubt  or  worry,  is  a  fortress  against  the  in- 
road of  the  enemy,  disease." 

As  this  last  injunction  was  being  flashed  upon  my 
inner  consciousness,  the  gray  shadow  of  my  better  self 
faded,  and  I  heard  nothing  more. 

I  glanced  at  my  watch.  It  was  nearly  midnight.  It 
was  time  to  join  Captain  Harcourt,  and  go  with  him  to 
the  White  House,  where  he  proposed  to  make  the  final 
demonstrations  of  the  doctrines  of  the  Island  of  Nolos, 
before  his  departure  from  Washington. 


213 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

SHOWING   THE   FUTURE   GOVERNMENT   OF   AFFAIRS    IN 
THE   UNITED   STATES. 

We  arrived  at  the  White  House  about  midnight. 
We  were  shown  up  to  the  library-room,  where  I  was 
admitted,  with  General  Starr,  upon  the  occasion  of  our 
visit  to  the  President,  in  the  interests  of  Ralph 
Granger. 

This  time  there  was  no  supper  ;  but  upon  a  near  side- 
board were  to  be  found  comfortable,  black  bottles, 
flanked  by  open  boxes  of  cigars.  In  the  room,  with 
the  President,  were  the  members  of  his  Cabinet,  the 
Speaker  of  the  House,  the  Vice-President,  and  a  round 
dozen  of  senators  and  members,  the  real  leaders  upon 
whom  the  President  depended  when  he  wanted  anything 
done.  The  Chief  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court,  with 
several  of  his  associates,  was  also  present.  The  three 
branches  of  the  Government  were  thus  well  represented. 

The  active  host  upon  this  occasion  was  Colonel 
Wren,  the  President's  private  secretary.  It  was  he  who 
received  us,  and  made  known  the  President's  wishes. 
He  desired  to  make  an  explanation  of  Captain  Har- 
court's  character,  so  that  what  he  proposed  to  do  should 
be  made  known  to  those  present,  as  he  had  indicated 
no  special  object  in  the  invitations  he  had  sent  out  for 
the  private  conference. 


214  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

Colonel  Wren,  after  we  were  seated,  arose  and,  turn- 
ing to  the  group  of  assembled  dignitaries,  said  :  "  The 
President  has  asked  you  to  come  here  this  evening  for 
the  purpose  of  witnessing  an  experiment,  which  he  has 
been  given  to  understand  Captain  Harcourt  is  ready 
and  anxious  to  make.  You  all  know,  or  have  heard  of, 
Captain  Harcourt.  His  powers  are  said  to  be  wonder- 
ful. The  President  has  been  anxious  to  witness  the 
evidence  of  his  ability,  and  has  thought  that  you,  who 
are  his  special  friends,  would  be  interested."' 

All  now  turned  towards  Captain  Harcourt.  From 
the  puzzled  look  upon  several  faces,  it  was  evident  that 
all  had  not  heard  of  him.  The  President  had  formed 
the  habit  of  inviting  his  friends  among  the  officials 
at  Washington  to  come  to  the  White  House  after  mid- 
night, as  the  then  President  never  retired  before  three 
or  four  o'clock  in  the  morning.  He  was  fond  of  amuse- 
ment, and  when  a  bountiful  supper  was  not  the  excuse 
for  the  gathering,  then  it  was  to  meet  the  most  notable 
lion  in  the  amusement  world,  who  might  chance  to  be 
in  Washington.  So  it  was  quite  in  accordance  with 
his  habit  to  be  acting  as  the  host  of  such  a  noteworthy 
person  as  Captain  Harcourt. 

The  latter  arose  at  the  brief  introduction  of  Colonel 
Wren,  and  bowed  gravely.  He  first  saluted  the  Presi- 
dent, and  addressed  to  him  his  remarks.     He  said  : 

"  Mr.  President,  I  propose,  in  the  briefest  possible 
fashion,  to  indicate  what  I  propose  to  do,  and,  as  I  pro- 
ceed, I  ask  only  to  have  your  undivided  attention. 
You  and  your  guests  present  will  not  question  the 
declaration  that  our  Government,  as   constituted,  falls 


A   MAN  AND   HIS   SOUL.  21 5 

far  behind  the  ideal  of  those  who  projected  it.  I  am, 
if  you  please,  a  reformer — a  not  over-popular  character 
in  Washington.  But  the  reforms  I  propose  are  those 
you  will  be  willing  to  undertake.  I  am  the  representa- 
tive of  a  society  which  teaches  its  members  to  see 
things  as  they  are,  as  well  as  how  they  should  be,  and 
by  such  sight  lay  the  foundation  for  a  higher  civiliza- 
tion. Government  has  no  excuse,  unless  it  is  framed 
for  the  equal  protection  of  the  wealthiest  and  humblest 
members  of  society.  Can  any  of  you  gentlemen 
honestly  say  that  such  is  the  ideal  of  our  Government 
to-day?  " 

None  of  the  officials  present  condescended  to  reply. 
The  President  began  to  look  bored.  After  all,  what  if 
Captain  Harcourt  should  turn  out  to  be  only  one  of 
those  dreaded  reformers,  whose  reforms  begin  and  end 
with  speeches  ? 

Captain  Harcourt  continued  :  "  No,  I  have  no  inten- 
tion of  making  a  speech.  I  merely  wish  to  indicate 
what  I  hope  to  show.  Instead  of  saying  anything  more, 
I  will  merely,  for  the  time  being,  open  your  eyes  and 
let  you  see  the  ideal  reign  of  power.  I  will  begin  first 
with  the  Congressional  branch  of  the  Government,  and," 
here  he  bowed  to  the  President,  "  I  will  come  to  the 
Executive  branch  of  the  Government  as  the  closing 
picture." 

At  the  word  "picture,"  the  President,  who  was  be- 
ginning to  doze,  waked  up  and  was  all  attention. 

Here  Captain  Harcourt  moved  his  hand  and  sat 
down.  As  he  did  so,  the  lights  in  the  room  grew  dim. 
A   heavy   darkness   filled    the    chamber,  the  walls   of 


2l6  A   MAN  AND   HIS  SOUL. 

the  room  disappeared,  and  then,  in  a  center  of  light, 
at  first  far  away,  gradually  expanding  until  the  guests 
sat  as  spectators,  looking  down  upon  the  ideal  House 
of  Representatives,  such  as  I  had  seen  and  have  de- 
scribed in  an  earlier  chapter. 

There  was  a  shout  of  admiration  at  the  scene.  The 
Speaker  murmured  :  "  If  your  reform  follow  such  noble 
lines  as  this  you  will  have  many  followers." 

No  one  expressed  any  wonder  at  the  means  employed 
to  produce  such  a  scene.  All  were  content  to  feast 
their  eyes  upon  the  picture,  which  had  a  perfect  air  of 
reality. 

The  chamber,  which  had  been  empty  when  I  first 
saw  it,  now  began  to  fill  with  splendid-looking  men. 
Then  the  ideal  Speaker  took  his  seat,  and  at  a  signal 
from  him  the  ideal  House  arose,  and  then  there  came 
marching  down  the  center  aisle  a  separate  group  of 
distinguished-looking  men,  who  took  seats  upon 
benches  in  front  of  the  Speaker's  desk.  These  men 
were  announced  by  their  titles.  They  were  the  Cabinet 
advisers  of  the  President,  who  came  to  take  part  in  the 
regular  sessions  of  the  House.  The  President  was 
greatly  interested  in  this  feature. 

He  turned  to  Captain  Harcourt  and  said  :  "  Is  this  a 
correct  picture  of  what  will  take  place  in  the  future  ?  " 

"  It  is,"  was  the  reply.  "  There  will  be  many  years 
of  opposition  to  this  change,  but  it  will  come  in  time. 
One  of  the  chief  advantages  will  be  the  raising  of  the 
character  of  the  Cabinet  advisers.  These  men  can  no 
longer  be  selected  through  whim  or  personal  favor  of 
a  President  ;  for,  as  they  are  required  to  come  to  the 


A    MAX   AND    HIS   SOUL.  2\"J 

House  to  answer  questions  and  to  present  the  wishes  of 
the  administration  in  power,  so  will  its  character  de- 
pend upon  the  class  of  men  selected.  Those  who  are 
not  able  and  adroit  will  be  unable  to  hold  their  place." 

"  But,"  said  the  President,  "  I  see  thirteen  members. 
What  additions  are  those  which  you  have  made  to 
exhibit  an  ideal  condition  ?  " 

"The  ranking  officer  in  this  Cabinet,"  was  the  reply, 
"  will  be  no  longer  the  Secretary  of  State.  I  will  give 
you  the  Cabinet  as  you  see  it  in  the  chamber  before 
you.  The  first  Cabinet  officer  is  the  Secretary  of  the 
Public  Welfare.  He  is  immediately  charged  with  the 
well-being  of  the  citizen.  His  sole  business  is  to  right 
private  wrongs,  and  to  give  his  entire  time  to  what,  in 
his  judgment,  will  best  contribute  to  the  welfare  of  the 
individual. 

"  The  next  is  the  Secretary  of  the  Liberal  Arts.  He 
is  charged  with  the  promotion  of  culture  of  beauty  in 
its  many  forms.  He  has  the  power,  with  rich  rewards 
and  prizes,  to  stimulate  to  the  highest  degree  all  those 
who  have  any  talent  for  the  arts  in  any  form.  It  is 
through  this  office  that  the  cultivation  of  beauty,  in  the 
varied  forms  of  architecture,  sculpture  and  painting, 
have  been  brought  to  such  a  pitch  of  excellence  as  to 
give  you  the  splendid  work  exhibited  in  the  hall  into 
which  you  are  now  looking. 

"  After  him,  comes  the  Cabinet  as  you  now  have  it. 
This  brings  up  the  number  to  ten.  The  other  three 
gentlemen  are  :  Secretary  of  Commerce,  of  Labor,  and, 
lastly,  the  Secretary  of  Spiritual  Development.  The 
Secretary  of  Commerce  is  charged  with  all  questions 


2l8  A    MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

of  interstate  commerce.  The  Secretary  of  Labor  is 
the  one  who  regulates  all  questions  arising  between 
labor  and  capital,  while  the  last  is  charged  with  all 
questions  of  a  spiritual  character.  It  will  some  day, 
doubtless,  rank  all  of  the  other  ministers  in  import- 
ance ;  but,  in  the  scene  which  I  show  you,  it  comes  last, 
as  I  do  not  wish  to  shock  too  much  your  prejudices." 

The  Chief  Justice  here  spoke  :  "  All  the  other  posi- 
tions I  can  understand,  but  what  do  you  mean  by  this 
last  designated  office.  If  you  refer  to  religion,  such  a 
creation  would  not  be  possible,  as  the  Constitution 
forbids  a  State  religion  or  any  union  of  Church  and 
State." 

"  By  this  is  meant,"  said  Captain  Harcourt,  "  the 
creation  of  a  department  for  the  investigation  of  all 
spiritual  questions,  without  any  attempt  to  establish 
any  dogma,  or  to  even  discuss  the  question  of  so-called 
religion.  The  great  question  of  the  existence  of  an- 
other world,  whether  there  is  such  a  thing  as  a  future 
existence  or  not,  will  be  considered  by  this  depart- 
ment, and  all  people  gifted  with  special  powers,  who 
can  throw  any  light  upon  this  subject,  will  be  given 
support  by  this  branch  of  the  Government,  so  that 
they  need  be  in  no  way  dependent  upon  the  public. 
This  department  will  be  created  just  as  soon  as  science 
has  progressed  far  enough  to  enable  mankind  to 
receive  communications  from  the  distant  planets.  The 
science  of  astronomy,  now  fostered  and  supported  by 
the  Government,  will  prove  the  base  of  this  new  depart- 
ment. With  the  improvement  in  telescopes,  you  will, 
in  time,  see  the  inhabitants  of  other  worlds,  and,  when 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  219 

the  means  of  communicating  with  them  is  perfected, 
then  you  will  have  such  proofs  of  a  future  existence 
that,  what  now  appears  so  vague  and  chimerical,  will 
become  so  practical  and  real  as  to  justify  the  formation 
of  this  special  department." 

"  But,"  said  the  Speaker,  "  without  discussing  the 
merits  or  demerits  of  the  Cabinet  as  you  present  it, 
I  would  merely  suggest  that  it  will  be  a  long  time  be- 
fore this  country  will  see  the  change  which  you  suggest 
here,  in  placing  the  Cabinet  upon  the  floor  of  the 
House.  There  is  a  great  prejudice  in  Congress 
against  any  such  innovation.  It  has  been,  often,  pro- 
posed to  have  the  President's  advisers  on  the  floor, 
and  to  give  them  power  to  take  part  in  the  discussions 
of  pending  questions,  in  the  fashion  of  the  English 
Parliament.  But,  in  spite  of  the  arguments  for  it, 
there  has  always  been  one  objection  that  has  over- 
shadowed all  of  the  arguments  ever  made  in  its  favor. 
This  is,  the  undue  influence  that  would  be  exercised  by 
the  Executive  in  influencing  legislation.  It  was  the 
intention  of  the  fathers  to  keep  the  three  branches  of 
the  Government  as  separate  as  possible." 

"  That  objection  is  purely  a  fanciful  one.  The  power 
of  patronage  of  office  distribution  now  gives  the  ex- 
ecutive branch  of  the  Government  an  undue  influence 
upon  legislation.  This  is  now  all  the  greater,  because 
exercised  secretly.  If  everything  were  in  the  light  of 
open  day,  subject  to  the  publicity  of  a  free  discussion, 
you  would  not  have  such  an  influence  from  the  Execu- 
tive to  contend  against  as  now.  If  there  was  the 
faintest  suggestion  of  it,  it  could  be  instantly  exposed 


220  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

in  the  daily  sessions  of  the  House.  The  debates  would 
gain  in  interest,  and  the  separation  would  even  become 
more  distinct  than  it  is  at  present." 

There  followed  a  moment  of  silence,  and  then  every 
one's  attention  was  directed  to  the  Chamber.  A  dis- 
cussion began,  as  if  to  illustrate  the  weakness  of  the 
objection  made  by  the  Speaker.  The  members  began 
to  question  the  Cabinet  officers  concerning  their  work, 
and  the  fierce  examinations  made  into  the  work  of  the 
Administration  placed  every  one  upon  his  mettle.  No 
Cabinet  officer,  in  pursuit  of  a  blind  or  selfish  cause, 
could  hold  up  his  head  against  the  arguments  that  came 
from  every  side  from  the  trained  and  well-equipped 
legislators. 

"  Every  Cabinet  officer  who  fails  to  sustain  himself," 
said  Captain  Harcourt,  "  will  be  compelled  to  resign, 
and  seek  service  again  in  some  humbler  position." 

The  legislators,  who  had  looked  with  so  much 
interest  upon  the  discussion  in  the  House,  where  only 
questions  of  real  public  interest  were  permitted  by  the 
Speaker,  were  now  invited  to  turn  their  attention  to 
the  Senate  chamber.  Here  was  a  grave  and  dignified 
assemblage,  sitting  as  a  high  court  of  appeal  upon 
questions  decided  in  the  House.  Rarely  were  the 
decisions  of  the  lower  chamber  reversed.  The  office 
question  was  no  longer  the  principal  one  here.  All 
but  the  great  offices  of  the  Government  had  been 
made  elective  by  the  people,  and  so  the  subject  of 
patronage,  which  now  makes  the  Senate  the  least 
consequential  of  bodies,  so  far  as  mere  public  interests 
were  concerned,  had  forever  disappeared. 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  221 

The  senators  in  the  group  appeared  the  least  in- 
terested in  this  demonstration,  and  one  of  them,  a 
friend  of  Senator  Norton's,  said  :  "  Captain  Harcourt 
was  right  to  speak  of  this  as  an  ideal  condition,  but  one 
that,  in  my  judgment,  can  never  be  realized." 

To  this  the  Captain  replied  :  "  There  you  are  wrong. 
When  once  the  public  is  fully  wakened  up  to  the 
degrading  effects  of  the  present  system  of  office  dis- 
tribution as  it  now  exists,  it  will  be  abolished,  exactly 
as  I  have  pictured  it  before  you." 

The  next  picture  was  one  that  interested,  to  a  great 
degree,  the  Chief  Justice.  It  was  a  scene,  which  repre- 
sented a  court,  where  the  poorest  and  humblest 
citizen  of  the  country  who  had  a  claim  against  the 
Government,  could,  without  expense  to  himself,  save  a 
small  percentage  upon  the  award,  and,  in  the  event  of 
success,  have  the  issues  of  his  claim  passed  upon  their 
merits  alone.  No  question  of  political  influence  or 
social  relationship  could  come  here.  The  sole  ques- 
tion allowed  to  be  considered  was  this :  Does  the 
Government  owe  the  money?  If  it  did,  the  decree 
always  gave  the  full  amount  to  the  last  penny,  with  the 
interest  from  the  date  when  the  debt  was  made.  A 
judge  was  reading  a  decision,  as  we  sat  and  watched 
the  action  of  this  high  court  of  justice. 

In  this  opinion,  the  learned  judge  held  that  it  was  as 
important  for  a  government  to  maintain  as  high  a 
standard  of  honor,  in  its  relations  with  private  creditors, 
as  with  public  ones,  and  that  it  should  be  as  anxious 
to  pay  a  just  debt  due  to  an  individual  as  to  a  corpora- 
tion, or  syndicate  of  subscribers  to  bond  issues.     "  In 


222  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

plain  words,"  said  the  judge,  "it  is  the  duty  of  the 
Government  to  set  up  the  highest  possible  standards 
of  honor  and  justice  in  its  dealings.  In  no  other  way- 
can  it  be  loyally  and  honestly  served." 

To  all  this  the  Chief  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court 
nodded  a  most  vigorous  assent. 

But  this  scene  shifted,  to  give  way  to  a  still  more 
imposing  court  scene,  where  a  full  bench  of  wise  and 
honest  men  sat  for  the  purpose  of  trying  election 
cases.  These  judges  were  the  highest  paid  of  all,  and 
they  held  their  places  for  life.  They  were  held  to  a 
rigid  accountability  by  the  Court  of  Honor,  which  sat 
once  a  month  for  the  consideration  of  charges  against 
all  federal  officials. 

This  court  of  elections  was  free  from  all  partisanship, 
and  passed  upon  all  federal  cases.  Disputed  election 
questions  in  the  States  came  to  them  only  upon  appeal. 

It  was  clear  that  all  present  recognized  the  import- 
ance and  correctness  of  principle  underlying  the 
establishment  of  such  a  court. 

But,  as  the  Speaker  said,  "  How  ideal  a  picture  you 
are  now  presenting,  Captain  Harcourt,  we  practical  poli- 
ticians alone  can  comprehend." 

"  Such  a  court  will  be  possible,"  said  Captain  Har- 
court, "  when  men  will  scorn  to  succeed  unless  they 
are  right,  and  will  take  more  pride  in  an  honest  failure 
than  a  dishonest  success." 


223 


CHAPTER    XXIII. 

THE   IDEAL  PRESIDENT  HOLDS  A  CONVERSATION  WITH 
THE  REAL  PRESIDENT  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

It  was  now  the  turn  of  the  Executive  Department. 
Those  present  directed  their  attention  to  the  President, 
when  the  scenes  described  in  the  last  chapter  had  faded 
away.  There  was  also  a  change  in  the  President's 
demeanor.  He  was  no  longer  indolent  and  heavy. 
Something  of  his  inner  nature  was  awakened,  and,  for 
the  moment,  he  looked  his  position  of  President  of  the 
United  States.  He  arose,  straightening  himself  un- 
consciously, as  he  found  the  eyes  of  his  guests  centered 
upon  him.  I  think  that,  for  a  few  moments,  he  was  re- 
luctant to  face  the  trial.  He  had  been  noted  for  pur- 
suing anything  but  an  ideal  course,  and  so  the  com- 
parison with  which  he  was  threatened  was  not  one 
which  he  would  have  naturally  sought. 

He  parried  for  a  moment,  by  asking  Captain  Har- 
court  a  few  questions.  He  began  :  "  From  whence  do 
you  obtain  your  particular  power  to  so  hypnotize  us 
as  to  compel  us  to  see  the  things  which  you  create 
with  your  will? " 

The  Captain  replied  :  "  It  is  no  hypnotism.  It  is  no 
compulsion  of  the  will,  but  rather  the  opening,  for  the 
time  being,  of  your  eyes." 

"  But  how  is  that  done  ?  " 


224  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

"  The  methods  employed  are  very  simple.  We  live 
in  two  worlds— the  real  world,  which  you  see  with 
your  physical  eyes,  and  the  ideal,  which  is  seen  with 
the  spiritual  eyes,  or  what  is  commonly  called  the 
eyes  of  the  imagination.  The  real  and  the  spiritual 
world  are  close  together.  I,  only,  have  the  power  to 
see  both  worlds,  and,  occasionally,  to  be  permitted  to 
show  it  to  others." 

"You  speak  of  permission.  Who  gives  you  the  per- 
mission ?     Who  is  your  superior  ?  " 

•*  The  permission  comes  from  the  powers  of  the  ideal 
world ;  that  has  no  particular  personality.  I  only 
know  when  I  can  and  when  I  cannot." 

"  But  you  yet  have  not  told  how  you  exercise  this 
power." 

"  I  do  not  exercise  any  power.  I  am  the  instru- 
ment merely  of  the  power  of  others.  Whether  you 
see  or  do  not  see  does  not  depend  upon  me.  I,  indi- 
vidually, am  able  at  times  to  produce  the  channel  of 
thought,  which  makes  such  visions  natural  and  simple. 
There  are  those  who  believe  as  I,  who  have  individual 
powers  of  an  extraordinary  character.  Doctor  Long- 
man, of  the  Island  of  Nolos,  has  this  power.  In  one 
sense,  he  is  my  superior  officer,  and  from  him  I  receive 
instructions,  which  I  am  very  willing  to  obey;  but  he 
would  not  compel  me,  against  my  will,  to  do  anything. 
I  find  it  very  natural  and  simple,  however,  in  these 
matters,  to  seek  his  advice,  and  to  yield  myself  ab- 
solutely to  his  wishes,  which  are,  to  me,  absolutely, 
commands." 

The  President  continued  :  "  I   have   heard   that  you 


A   MAN  AND   HIS   SOUL.  225 

have  been  permitted,  if  I  may  use  your  language,  to 
introduce  people  to  their  immortal  souls.  Now,  I 
think  that  it  would  be  much  more  interesting  to  me  if 
you  would  first  present  me  to  my  immortal  part,  before 
proceeding  to  give  us  the  pictures  of  an  ideal  direction 
of  the  Executive  Department." 

The  Captain  said  :  "  There  surely  can  be  no  objec- 
tion to  that.  I  have  received  special  directions,  and, 
yielding  my  consent,  I  merely  voice  the  affirmation 
of  those  who  speak  through  me.  It  is,  however,  most 
agreeable  and  desirable  that  you  should  first  express 
this  wish.  You  occupy  the  most  prominent  position 
in  one  of  the  richest  and  most  powerful  nations  of  the 
world.  What  you  are  has  a  mighty  influence,  first, 
upon  the  thousands  who  follow  and  who  believe  in  the 
chief  of  their  party,  and,  second,  upon  those  many 
more  thousands  who  always  respect  and  honor  the 
President  of  the  United  States,  no  matter  what  may 
be  his  shade  of  political  belief." 

The  President's  eyes  brightened,  and  his  face  as- 
sumed a  kindly  expression  in  response  to  the  most 
respectful  attitude  of  Captain  Harcourt.  He  said  no 
more,  but  stood  in  an  attitude  of  waiting,  as  if  at  a 
morning  reception. 

Then  there  came  the  same  prelude  which  had 
heralded  the  advance  of  the  pictures  which  had  just 
been  shown.  The  room  was  darkened  for  a  moment, 
while  faint,  wavy  lines  of  light,  upon  bands  of  gray, 
moved,  in  undulating  forms,  through  the  darkness. 
Then  there  came  a  sound  of  majestic  music,  a  triumphal 
march,  and,  then,  darkness  suddenly  parted,  and  there 


226  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

advanced,  in  a  circle  of  dazzling  light,  the  ideal  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States.  The  look  of  calm  superi- 
ority and  dignified  strength  made  the  President,  for 
the  moment,  shrink  back,  and  then  he  began  to  study 
his  double  with  a  rapt  intensity  of  expression,  which 
smoothed  out  all  of  the  trivial  lines  from  his  round, 
smooth,  pleasure-loving  face.  For  the  moment,  every- 
thing else  was  forgotten.  He  was  wholly  unconscious 
of  the  fact  that  the  guests  were  busy  in  comparing  the 
attitude  and  bearing  and  manner  of  the  two  Presidents 
which  stood  before  them.  The  real  President  was  de- 
voted to  the  accomplishment  of  his  personal  ambition. 
He  rarely  delegated  his  authority  to  any  one,  unless  it 
could  not  be  avoided.  He  was  particularly  jealous  of 
the  powers  of  his  office  in  all  that  related  to  personal 
appointments.  His  entire  time  was  occupied,  there- 
fore, with  the  details  of  personal  affairs,  and  it  was 
very  rarely  that  he  had  leisure  requisite  for  the  study  of 
national  questions.  When  a  public  question  was  forced 
upon  his  attention,  that  was  always  delegated  to  some 
one  of  his  advisers  for  the  preparation  of  an  opinion, 
for  he  could  not  spare  the  time  from  the  distribution 
of  appointments,  and  he  occupied  all  of  his  brief  leisure 
with  calculations  concerning  the  possibilities  of  his  re- 
nomination.  Every  office  given  by  him  in  these  days 
was  used  for  the  purpose  of  making  votes  for  himself  in 
the  Presidential  Convention  ;  but  he  was  so  long  in 
making  up  his  mind,  and  so  dogged  in  following  his 
own  personal  ideas,  ignoring,  nearly  always,  the  recom- 
mendations of  every  one,  that  he,  in  the  end,  made  more 
enemies  than  friends  with  the  same  appointments. 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  227 

He  was  particularly  jealous  of  the  powers  of  the 
Senate.  Other  presidents  had  deferred  to  suggestions 
of  senators  in  the  appointments  in  their  State  ;  but 
this  particular  President  ignored  the  senators,  and  was 
very  angry  with  them  if  they  declined  to  approve  his 
appointments,  insisting  that  the  Constitution  gave 
them  no  power  to  reject  appointments  sent  in  by  him, 
unless  for  some  grave  and  serious  reasons.  He  ques- 
tioned the  Senate's  right  to  veto  his  action,  although 
he,  without  any  hesitation,  vetoed  their  action  when  it 
came  before  him  in  the  form  of  legislation,  without 
even  so  much  as  an  apology.  The  rights  given  to  him 
by  the  Constitution  he  never  questioned,  and  he  was 
ever  ready  to  stretch  his  privileges  to  the  utmost  limit, 
while,  at  the  same  time,  he  questioned  very  seriously 
the  constitutionality  of  many  of  the  privileges  of  the 
other  branches  of  the  Government,  and  was  always 
eager  to  assert  his  personal  powers  in  controversies 
with  the  Senate. 

The  ideal  President  had  a  look,  upon  his  stern,  clean- 
cut  face,  of  a  man  of  high  and  mighty  resolutions.  It 
would  be  impossible  to  associate  him  with  questions  of 
individual  vanity,  or  with  pursuing  selfish  purposes. 
He  was  a  noble,  calm,  strong-looking  man,  and  yet  his 
features  were,  in  every  way,  the  reproduction  of 
features  of  this  weak,  vain  and  self-opinionated  Presi- 
dent. It  was  the  high  character  shining  out  of  his 
face,  however,  which  made  the  change,  and  established 
the  gulf  of  difference  between  the  two  men. 

The  real  President  turned  to  Captain  Harcourt, 
after  he  had  looked  at  his  second  self  for  fully  five 


228  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

minutes  without  speaking,  and  then  he  said  :  "  If  this 
is  really  my  immortal  part,  and  is  no  delusion  of  the 
senses,  it  may  be  possible  that  he  can  speak,  and  that 
he  can  answer  certain  questions  that  I  would  like  very 
much  to  put  to  him." 

"  Any  question  which  you  may  ask  will  be  answered 
by  him." 

The  President,  who  was  a  very  gentlemanly  man, 
now  turned  with  a  half  bow  of  apologetic  embarrass- 
ment to  his  guests.  He  would  much  have  preferred 
to  have  carried  on  this  conversation  without  auditors. 
He  first  asked  : 

"Are  you  really  my  immortal  soul?  " 

"  I  am." 

"  Are  you  constantly  associated  with  me  ?  " 

"I  am." 

"  Do  you  take  part  in  everything  that  I  do  ?  " 

"  I  do  not.  It  is  very  rarely  that  I  take  part  in  any- 
thing that  you  do." 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  that  ?  " 

"  Exactly  what  I  say." 

"  Oh,  I  forget.  You  represent  the  ideal  condition 
of  humanity." 

"  I  am  the  divine  part  of  you.  As  you  reach  up- 
ward, and  seek  the  diviner  part  of  yourself,  and  you 
can  only  do  this  by  forgetting  yourself,  then  you  and 
I  come  together,  and  only  then." 

The  President  continued  :  "  Do  you  have  greater 
opportunities,  through  being  the  immortal  part  of  the 
President  of  the  United  States  ?  In  other  words,  does 
the  elevation  of  an  individual,  officially,  and  through 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  229 

his  exercising  great  power,  have  a  tendency  to  develop 
his  better  self  ?  " 

A  shadow  came  over  the  serene  face  of  the  ideal,  as 
if,  for  the  moment,  he  did  not  comprehend  the  exact 
bearing  of  the  President's  question.  He  answered, 
generally  :  "  The  soul  of  all  men  is  the  same  ;  it  has  no 
more  influence  upon  the  man,  against  his  will,  if  he 
happens,  by  chance,  to  occupy  the  body  of  a  President, 
than  if  he  occupied  the  body  of  the  humblest  work- 
man. The  will  always  controls.  It  is  possible,  through 
power,  and  the  undue  exercise  of  it,  that  the  soul  and 
the  spiritual  part  of  man  are  relegated  to  the  back- 
ground. It  is  not  in  the  highest  of  places  that  spiritual 
development  is  the  most  common.  It  is  a  strange  law 
of  nature,  that  where  power  is  given  it  is  most 
generally  abused.  Let  me  ask  you,  on  your  honor  as  a 
gentleman,  if  you  have  every  honestly  sought  to  rise 
to  the  position  of  the  ideal  President  ?  " 

A  very  dignified  look  came  over  the  face  of  the  real 
President,  and  his  reply  astonished  his  cynical  audi- 
ence, who  never  had  credited  him  before  with  possess- 
ing serious  qualities.  "  Yes,"  said  the  President,  "  I 
have  had  high  ambitions.  I  defy  any  man,  however 
small,  however  petty,  however  selfish,  to  enter  upon 
the  great  office  of  President  of  the  United  States 
without  being  lifted  up  by  a  sense  of  its  tremendous 
responsibilities  and  requirements.  He  is  in  an  attitude 
where  the  eye  of  every  one  is  upon  him.  He  has  time- 
honored  precedents  behind  him  which  govern  his 
nearly  every  action.  So  high  is  his  position,  and  so 
great  the  fame  of  those  who  have  preceded  him,  that 


230  A    MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

he  is  obliged  to  strive  to  satisfy  an  ambition  which 
springs  up  in  the  heart  of  every  incumbent  of  this 
office." 

"  But  how  did  you  proceed  to  try  and  meet  that 
ambition,  and  to  satisfy  your  ideal?  " 

At  this,  the  look  of  pride  and  dignity  left  the  Presi- 
dent's face,  as  he  replied  :  t 

"  I  must  confess,  that  after  that  first  emotion,  when 
I  rose  to  a  height  when  I  might  have  been  entitled, 
perhaps,  to  meet  even  you,  sir,  upon  a  footing  of 
equality,  that  I  never  had  any  more  time  left  for  any- 
thing but  to  walk  in  a  treadmill,  prepared  by  hoary 
precedent  for  every  President.  Sir,  for  the  first  six 
months  of  my  occupancy  of  the  office  I  was  besieged 
through  every  waking  moment,  by  a  mad  mob  of  office 
seekers.  They  came  from  every  corner  of  the  country, 
and  cringed  before  me  in  every  attitude  of  appeal." 

"  But  why  did  you  degrade  the  great  office  of  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States  by  giving  up  your  time  to 
the  consideration  of  such  petty  matter  ?  What  would 
you  think  of  the  head  of  a  great  railroad  corporation 
who  spent  ninety  per  cent,  of  his  time  discussing  the 
merits  of  applications  for  the  positions  of  brakemen  on 
his  road  ?  What  you  have  made  to  seem  a  bit  of 
sacrifice  was,  after  all,  if  you  will  pardon  me  the  ex- 
pression, an  exercise  of  the  quality  of  vanity,  which 
loves  to  have  in  its  own  hands  daily  evidences  of 
power,  and  a  lack  of  executive  capacity,  in  not  being 
able  to  pass  over  to  others  three-quarters,  if  not  nine- 
tenths,  of  the  burdens  which  you  so  willingly  and 
cheerfully  carried." 


A    MAX   AND   HIS   SOUL.  23 1 

The  real  President  appeared  to  take  no  offense  at 
this.  He  acted  as  if  he  were  under  the  charm  of  a 
superior,  whose  criticisms  were  so  kindly  meant  that 
they  could  not  wound.  He  went  on  as  if  reciting  a 
lesson  in  a  class,  or  as  if  he  were  before  a  judge,  mak- 
ing explanations.     He  said  : 

"  After  the  first  year  I  was  able  to  escape  the  office- 
seekers,  but  then  I  became  involved  in  a  discussion  with 
the  Senate.  The  Senate  objected  to  some  of  my  ap- 
pointments, and  I  put  my  foot  down,  to  assert  the 
rights  of  my  great  office,  and  to  teach  the  Senate  of 
the  United  States  a  lesson.  I  knew  that  the  country 
would  be  with  me,  because  the  Senate,  not  being 
elected  by  the  people,  is  never  popular.  And,  so  my 
time,  up  to  the  present,  has  been  occupied  with  this 
controversy.  Several  senators  have  dared  to  make  a 
personal  war  upon  me,  and  I  feel  that  I  would  be  fail- 
ing in  my  duty,  in  my  high  position,  if  I  did  not  ex- 
haust every  power  at  my  command  to  crush  them,  and 
to  demonstrate  the  correctness  of  the  principle  under- 
lying my  conduct.  I  assure  you,  sir,  there  was  nothing 
personal,  no  desiring  to  succeed  for  the  sake  of  success, 
but  simply  a  wish,  upon  my  part,  to  prove  that  I  was 
right,  and  being  right,  you,  my  perfect  self,  would  not, 
surely,  retreat  one  step." 

"  But  were  you  right  ?  " 

"  I  followed  the  rules  and  precedents  which  have 
established  the  powers  and  prerogatives  of  my  office." 

"  Is  it  your  office  ?  " 

"  No,  not  in  the  exact  sense  of  the  word  ;  still  it  is  I, 
and  it  is  I  alone,  who  is  called  upon  to  decide  what  are 


232  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

the  duties  of  the  President  of  the  United  States.  Who 
can  decide  for  me  ?  " 

"  But  has  it  never  occurred  to  you,  that  while  you 
may  be  abstractly  correct,  in  defining  such  an  issue, 
yet,  by  your  allowing  that  issue  to  become  the  pre- 
dominating one  of  your  administration,  have  you  not 
degraded  the  Government,  and  lowered  your  high 
office  to  the  plane  of  a  petty  personal  issue  ?  That 
office  is  not  yours.  It  belongs  to  the  people  of  the 
United  States.  You  hold  it  in  trust  for  them.  Your 
manner  of  exercising  those  duties  must  be  submitted 
to  your  masters,  the  people,  for  their  approval.  Are 
you  certain,  in  spite  of  your  firm  conviction,  you,  the 
President  of  the  United  States,  can  now  go  before  the 
people  on  no  other  issue  than  the  one  you  have  estab- 
lished, who  shall  fill  this  or  that  office,  and  expect  to 
be  continued  in  your  office  of  trust  ?  " 

A  shadow  of  doubt  came  over  the  President's  face. 
He  went  over,  in  his  politician's  mind,  the  number  of 
delegates  that  were  already  pledged  to  him,  but,  be- 
fore he  could  make  any  reply,  his  soul  said  :  "  That  is 
the  mistake  made  by  every  professional  politician.  I 
was  talking  to  you  about  a  vote  of  confidence  of  the 
people,  and  you  immediately  began  to  recapitulate,  in 
your  own  mind,  the  number  of  votes  purchased  by  you 
with  offices  for  the  coming  convention.  What  has  that 
to  do  with  a  vote  of  confidence  ?  Is  that  in  accordance 
with  your  high  ideas  of  the  great  office  of  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States  seeking  to  try  your  indi- 
vidual claims  before  a  packed  jury?" 

The  President  still  remained  silent.     He  sank  into  a 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  233 

chair,  and  looked  anxiously  at  the  tall  figure  of  his 
double,  who  now  leaned  forward  in  his  direction,  and, 
with  an  air  of  great  earnestness,  said  :  "  Did  it  ever  occur 
to  you,  that  in  this  great  country,  filled  to  overflowing 
with  multiplex  interests,  that  a  President,  who  is  at  the 
head  of  the  nation,  should  have  his  mind  absolutely  free 
from  all  details,  leaving  it  clear  for  the  general  sweep, 
which  embraces  the  whole  country,  so  as  to  see  all 
questions  relating  to  the  public  welfare,  and  to  devote 
his  time  to  that  which  is  most  pressing  and  urging. 
Have  you  ever  thought  of  the  general  good  of  the 
many?  Don't  answer  me.  I  know  there  are  some 
very  fine  paragraphs  in  some  of  your  messages,  con- 
cerning the  labor  question,  the  value  of  arbitration, 
and  settling  disputes  between  labor  and  capital,  but 
these  suggestions  of  a  moral  character,  relating  to  the 
general  welfare  of  the  people  themselves,  were  nothing 
but  the  routine  of  approvals  of  the  suggestions  of 
certain  bureau  chiefs  in  your  department  ;  but,  when 
have  you  ever  departed  from  the  weary,  time-worn  path 
and  dared  to  make  an  original  suggestion  of  a  popular 
kind?  Have  you  ever  ventured  upon  originality? 
Have  you  not  always  trembled  before  those  ancient 
precedents,  which  are  marshalled  about  the  steps  of 
every  President.  Have  you  ever  ventured  to  stand 
upon  the  wrong  square  of  the  carpet  during  reception 
hours,  and  have  you  not  always  occupied  the  particular 
square  which  your  predecessors  have  occupied  on 
similar  occasions?  Have  you  ever  sought  to  free  your- 
self from  the  environments  of  your  situation — to 
cast  aside  absurd  etiquette,  and   to  create,  yourself,  a 


234  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

precedent  ?  No,  I  am  sure  you  never  have.  You 
have  been  first  steeped  to  the  lips  in  the  excitement  of 
a  political  campaign.  Then,  you  have  been  drugged 
with  the  vanity  of  power,  and  now  you  are  consumed 
by  an  ambition  to  be  continued  in  that  position  of 
power.  You  have  never  once  forgotten  self,  and  in  the 
end  you  will  be  forgotten,  for  no  man  can  truly  live 
unless,  during  his  life,  he  lives  and  works  for  others. 
Your  name  can  never  be  erased  from  the  list  of  the 
Presidents  of  the  United  States,  but  so  long  as  you 
are  overwhelmed  by  selfish  vanities  you  will  pass  on, 
and  the  black  letters,  the  symbols  which  go  to  compose 
your  name  in  the  list,  will  represent  less  than  nothing, 
and  will  make  no  appeal  to  the  grateful  memory  of  any 
one  following  after  you." 


235 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

THE   PRESIDENT   IS   LEFT   ALONE   WITH   CAPTAIN  HAR- 
COURT   AND   MYSELF. 

Within  a  few  moments  after  the  close  of  the  last 
scene,  the  guests,  who  had  been  assembled  upon  invita- 
tion by  the  President,  departed.  I  was  so  interested 
in  watching  the  President's  face,  and  the  dialogue  be- 
tween him  and  his  double,  that  I  cannot  give  a  clear 
account  of  how  the  remainder  of  the  guests  received 
the  signal  to  go.  I  merely  state  the  result.  Within 
five  minutes  after  the  departure  of  the  guests,  the 
double  also  disappeared,  and  the  President  was  left 
alone  with  Captain  Harcourt  and  myself. 

The  President  now  turned  to  Captain  Harcourt  and 
said  : 

"  I  have  been  strangely  moved  by  the  visions  which  you 
have  placed  before  me,  and,  for  the  moment,  I  do  not 
care  to  dispute  their  reality  ;  but  I  am,  by  no  means, 
satisfied  with  what  you  have  shown  me.  The  conversation 
with  my  immortal  soul  has  merely  excited  my  curiosity, 
and  I  should  like  to  continue  the  study  of  the  subject, 
in  so  far  as  you  may  be  able  to  help  me.  As  I  have 
been  sitting  here,  many  of  the  ideas  which  I  had,  when 
I  first  took  the  oath  of  office,  have  come  back  to  me. 
Many  of  my  old  ambitions  are  revived.  I  believe  that 
I  am  responsive  to  this  better  nature,  which  you  have 


236  A    MAN  AND   HIS   SOUL. 

invoked,  and  nothing  is  nearer  to  my  heart  than  a 
continuation  of  the  conversation,  and  a  further  view  of 
the  scenes  representing  the  ideal  President  at  his 
work." 

Said  Captain  Harcourt  :  "  It  has  been  my  hope  and 
ambition  to  move  you  to  the  expression  of  such  an 
opinion.  I  can  do  nothing  against  your  will,  but  I  am 
glad  to  see  that  you  have,  at  least,  been  temporarily 
impressed  with  the  importance  of  the  situation  com- 
manded by  you  and  your  capacity  for  doing  a  wrong, 
as  well  as  your  ability  to  do  good.  The  President  of 
the  United  States  should  be  an  example  to  all  men. 
He  is  the  chief  magistrate  of  a  great  nation.  He  lives 
at  the  central  point  of  power,  and  every  eye  should 
be  turned  towards  him  for  advice  and  encouragement. 
He  should  always  be  above  mere  partisanship,  and 
ambition  to  serve  merely  personal  ends.  He  should 
be  ready,  at  all  times,  to  sacrifice  his  own  interests  for 
those  of  the  public.  He  should  be  an  example  of 
honesty,  of  self-denial,  and  unselfishness  to  the  whole 
country.  A  President  enjoying  such  a  character,  who 
could  resolutely  put  behind  him  all  future  personal 
ambition,  would  command  such  loyal  confidence  that 
he  would  be  able  to  influence,  to  a  great  degree, 
legislation,  and,  thereby,  secure  reforms  not  possible 
to-day.  Can  you  honestly  say  that  you,  yourself,  have 
any  personal  influence  with  Congress,  the  instrument  of 
the  Government  which  regulates  legislation  ?  " 

To  this  the  President  replied  :  "  I  am  frank  to  con- 
fess that  my  influence  with  Congress,  to  a  certain  ex- 
tent,  is  negative.     The   messages  which  I  send   there 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  237 

are  generally  pigeon-holed  in  the  committees,  and  are 
never  heard  of  unless  I  make  a  special  effort,  or  special 
appeal,  to  prevail  upon  them  to  take  them  up.  My 
opinions,  unsupported  by  any  attempt  to  back  them 
by  patronage,  have  really  less  weight  than  the  average 
editorial  opinion  in  the  average  newspaper." 

"  Do  you  know  why  this  is  so  ?  " 

"  I  must  confess  that  I  have  never  looked  closely  into 
the  reasons  why.  I  know  the  dismal  fact  to  be  an  un- 
questioned one." 

"  The  reason  why  you  have  this  lack  of  influence 
with  Congress  is  because  your  attitude  has  always 
been  a  selfish  one.  You  have  never  sent  in  a  sugges- 
tion to  Congress  that  has  not  had  back  of  it  the  sus- 
picion of  advantage  to  your  own  fortunes.  How 
can  the  country  be  interested  in  what  concerns  you, 
individually?  You  are,  for  the  time  being,  a  trustee; 
and  every  time  you  prefer  your  own  personal  fortunes 
to  those  of  the  public,  you  are  violating  the  conditions 
of  the  trust  reposed  in  you.  When  you  go  to  Congress 
with  recommendations,  you  have  to  back  them  up  with 
the  full  power  of  your  patronage  in  order  to  make 
an  impression  ;  but  if  you  were  to  frankly  and  clearly 
renounce  all  personal  ambition,  and  seek,  merely,  to 
advance  the  welfare  of  the  public,  then  your  sugges- 
tions would  have  weight.  You  would,  then,  be  backed 
up  by  a  public  opinion,  which,  after  all,  is  the  con- 
trolling influence  in  all  countries.  The  messages  which 
you  have  sent  to  Congress  have  never  once  departed 
from  the  beaten  track.  I  wonder  if  the  time  will 
ever   come   when  a   President   of   the    United    States 


238  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

will  be  able  to  send  a  short  original  message  to 
Congress.  What  is  there,  in  the  environment  of  this 
office,  which  compels  ^nearly  every  President  to  be 
profuse,  verbose,  and  tautological  ?  Some  brief  mes- 
sage of  five  hundred  words,  embracing  a  patriotic 
and  unselfish  idea,  would  make  a  most  profound  im- 
pression upon  the  country.  The  ideal  President  will 
ignore  precedents  ;  and  his  influence  with  the  country 
will  be  measured,  entirely,  by  his  originality  and  his 
courage." 

"  I  do  not  think  that  you  fully  measure  the  difficulties 
which  stand  in  the  way  of  any  independent  action 
upon  the  part  of  any  President.  A  President  is, 
naturally,  conservative.  The  surroundings  of  his  office 
make  him  so.  He  is  an  object  of  jealous  regard  by 
every  one  of  the  leaders  in  Congress,  who,  naturally, 
seek  to  occupy  his  place.  Congress  should  be  his 
natural  ally.  He  can  do  nothing  without  its  cordial 
support,  yet  he  is  never  credited  with  honest  or  un- 
selfish motives  in  that  neighborhood.  He  has  no 
friends  there  except  those  purchased  by  actual  patron- 
age. I  think,  in  your  criticism  of  me  in  the  perform- 
ance of  my  duties,  that  you  have  ignored  the  fact  that 
a  President  has  no  real  allies,  and  that  he  can  only  be 
successful  in  promoting  some  interest  which  enlists  the 
selfish  interests  of  the  leaders  in  the  other  branches 
of  the  Government.  A  President  never  hears  the 
truth  about  anything.  He  is  surrounded  by  flat- 
terers, and  men  whose  interest  it  is  to  constantly 
misrepresent  to  him  the  facts.  He  never  has  the 
pleasure  of   hearing,    except  upon    such    an    occasion 


A   MAX   AND   HIS   SOUL.  239 

as  this," — and  here  he  bowed  to  Captain  Harcourt. — 
"  an  honest  criticism.  Every  one  "who  seeks  him  has 
some  favor  to  ask.  It  is  impossible  for  him  to  per- 
form the  simplest  act  of  life  without  coming  in  con- 
tact with  an  army  of  self-seekers.  He  is  hated  by  those 
who  are  nearest  him,  because  he  can  never  satisfy 
the  desires  of  any  one  who  comes  to  him  ;  for,  you 
must  remember,  that  those  who  come  to  ask  are  never 
satisfied,  and  that  their  demands  are  always  beyond  the 
power  of  any  President  to  grant.  You  have  no  idea, 
unless  you  have  a  vision  which  sees  everything,  of  the 
trying  situation  which  surrounds  every  President.  He 
really  has  more  favors  to  grant  than  any  potentate  on 
earth.  As  a  necessary  consequence,  he  is  more  be- 
sought than  any  ruler  of  any  nation.  Looking  at 
matters  seriously,  in  the  light  of  what  you  have  here 
presented  this  evening,  I  can  see  that  our  Presidents 
have  altogether  too  much  power  ;  and,  if  this  question 
of  patronage  and  office  distribution  could  be  eliminated 
from  our  national  politics,  we  would  have  better 
Presidents  and  more  powerful  administrations.  It  is 
not  natural,  however,  for  any  one  to  renounce  power 
once  in  his  hands  ;  and  every  President  who  comes  to 
office  finds  it  much  more  natural  to  use  the  weapons 
in  his  hands,  than  to  chivalrously  strip  himself  and 
enter  the  arena  defenseless." 

"  Would  it  not  be  possible  to  imagine  a  condition  of 
affairs  existing  between  Congress  and  the  President, 
which  would  be  the  opposite  of  the  antagonistic  one 
which  now  exists?  " 

"  Oh,  I   dare  say.     In   that  ideal  future  which  you 


24O  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

have  predicted,  and  pictured,   men  will  be  unselfish. 
Presidents  who  are   unselfish  will  not  be  considered 
weak ;  and  they  will  find  the  leaders  in  Congress  ready 
to  support  them  in  their  suggestions,  and  not  seek  to 
interpose   the    opposition    dictated  by  their  own  per- 
sonal ambitions ;  but,  to-day,  every  one  who  rises  to 
prominence,  in  either  House  of  Congress,  has  his  eyes 
firmly  fixed  upon  the  White  House.     Everything  that 
he  does  has  a  bearing  upon  his  own  personal  ambition. 
He,   naturally,   regards  the    incumbent  of  the  White 
House  as  his  enemy,  because  the  President,  no  matter 
how  self-sacrificing  his  private  ambition,  nearly  always 
seeks  a  renomination  as  a  vote  of  confidence  for  his 
administration.     Every  member  and  senator  seeks  to 
obtain,  from  the  President,  everything  that  he  can  in 
the  way  of  offices  to  strengthen  himself  at  home,  and 
he  never  even  condescends  to  be  grateful.     He  takes 
what  he  can  get  as  a  matter  of  course,  and   is  ready  to 
fight   the    President    at   the  drop   of   the  hat    at   the 
slightest  appearance  of  disfavor.     More  than  this,  the 
President  is  made  the  scapegoat  of  the  senators  and 
members.     Through  the  dignity  which  surrounds  his 
office,  his  mouth  is  closed.     The   other  side  is  always 
heard.     Nothing  prevents  a  senator  or  member  from 
talking  freely  to  the  newspapers.     Let  me  give  you  a 
case  in  point,  to  show  you  the  injustice  with  which  a 
President  is  treated,  and  how  defenseless  he  is  in  in- 
fluencing public  opinion.     Last  year,  a  senator  of  the 
United  States  sent  to  me  an  applicant  for  a  prominent 
office  in  his  State.     This  applicant  was  the  bearer  of  a 
letter  of  most  cordial  endorsement  from  the  senator  in 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  24I 

question.  He  could  not  have  written  a  more  eulogistic 
letter  for  the  most  distinguished  and  worthy  applicant 
for  the  highest  honor.  In  fact,  he  left  nothing  to  be 
said,  after  describing  the  virtues  and  ability  of  this 
gentleman,  who,  armed  with  such  a  letter,  came  to  me, 
in  all  confidence,  expecting  the  appointment.  The 
next  day  after  the  reception  of  this  glowing  letter  of 
endorsement,  the  senator  himself  called  upon  me.  I 
said  to  him  : 

"  '  I  have  this  appointment  ready  to  be  made  out. 
Shall  I  have  it  sent  to  the  Senate  to-day  ? ' 

"  He  replied  :  '  What  appointment  ?  ' 

"  I  showed  him  his  letter. 

"  '  Oh,'  he  said,  '  I  have  called  to  see  you  about  that 
The  fellow  who  brought  you  that  letter  is  a  very  strong 
man  in  my  State.  He  has  a  big  political  pull,  and  I 
want  to  keep  on  his  right  side  ;  but  I  hate  him  like  the 
devil,  and  I  would  not  have  you  appoint  him  for  any- 
thing. So  far  as  that  letter  is  concerned,  you  may 
stick  it  in  the  waste  basket.' 

"  Well,  you  know,  that  is  politics,  and  so  I  did  not  feel 
like  saying  very  much  ;  but,  about  nine  months  after, 
I  received  a  letter  from  this  same  applicant  for  office, 
who  enclosed  to  me  a  letter  from  the  senator.  The 
applicant  said  : 

" '  Mr.  President,  I  think  I  have  been  very  hardly 
treated.  I  came  to  you  with  an  application  for  an 
office,  endorsed  by  the  most  powerful  senator  in  the 
country.  I  am  a  member  of  the  State  Central  Com- 
mittee, and,  I  think,  my  position  entitles  me  to  some 
consideration  ;  yet,  I  have  been   ignored,  and  have  re- 


242  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

ceived  no  consideration.  I  respectfully  submit  to  you 
the  enclosed  letter  from  the  senator  in  question,  show- 
ing what  he  thinks  of  my  treatment.' 

"And  what  do  you  think  this  senator,  who  was  the 
very  man  who  had  asked  me,  verbally,  not  to  ap- 
point this  man,  wrote?  He  had  the  hardihood  to 
address  a  letter,  himself,  to  this  applicant,  which  was 
filled  with  indignation  from  beginning  to  end.  He 
said,  in  so  many  words  :  '  I  have  labored  in  vain  with 
the  President.  I  have  written  the  strongest  letters,  as 
you  know,  and  I  have  made  the  most  vigorous  appeal. 
The  President  is  a  vain,  selfish  man,  who  seeks  only  his 
own  advancement.  He  is  thoroughly  discredited  now 
by  his  party,  and  his  action  in  your  case  is  only  a  fair 
sample  of  what  he  has  done  in  other  directions.'  Do 
you  know,  the  very  morning  that  I  received  this  letter 
the  senator  called  upon  me  to  ask  me  to  help  him 
secure  his  re-election  by  giving  him  a  few  of  the  offices 
in  his  State.  He  was  as  calm,  and  as  gentle  and  dep- 
recating in  his  demand,  as  if  he  were  my  most  sincere 
and  loyal  supporter ;  and  yet  I  had  that  letter  from 
him  in  my  own  desk,  and  it  was  a  great  piece  of  self- 
denial  upon  my  part  not  to  take  it  out  and  read  it  to 
him." 

"  What  you  have  said,"  said  Captain  Harcourt,  "  after 
all,  has  a  great  bearing  "upon  what  I  have  sought  to 
demonstrate.  So  long  as  the  national  issues  are  per- 
sonal and  selfish,  so  long  as  the  thought  of  personal 
advancement  controls,  there  will  be  treachery  and  per- 
sonal deception  ;  but  the  moment  a  President  takes 
upon  himself  an  attitude  of  unselfishness,  and  is  per- 


A    MAN   AND    HIS    SOUL.  243 

sistent,  throughout  his  administration,  in  advancing 
ideas  which  are  solely  to  benefit  the  country,  then,  and 
then  only,  will  he  receive  the  honest  support  to  which 
he  is  entitled.  Let  him  forever  banish  from  his  mind 
the  thought  whether  he  is  to  be  re-elected  or  not ;  let 
him  do  his  whole  duty  in  the  history  of  the  march  of 
progress  in  this  country.  There  have  been  one  or  two 
shining  examples  who  have  approached  to  the  ideal  in 
their  unselfishness.  These  were  Washington  and 
Lincoln.  Look  at  the  places  which  they  now  occupy 
in  history ;  compare  their  fame  with  the  fame  of  those 
who  are  merely  place-seekers.  But,  permit  me  to  call 
your  attention  to  one  more  great  scheme  in  the  ideal 
Government,  and  this  will,  perhaps,  impress  more  upon 
you  what  I  wish  to  convey  than  any  mere  succession 
of  words  and  phrases." 


244 


CHAPTER    XXV. 

THE     PRESIDENT     ON     TRIAL     IN     THE     FORUM — THE 
CHARGES  PRESENTED,  AND  HIS  FINAL  ACQUITTAL. 

The  last  scene  in  the  series,  presented  to  the  atten- 
tion of  the  President,  was  the  most  important,  and 
possessed,  for  me,  the  greatest  interest.  It  came  as  a 
climax  to  the  suggestive  pictures  of  the  night.  It 
embraced  more  positive  action,  and  showed  up  in 
clearer  lines.  In  the  few  moments  which  preceded  its 
presentation,  the  President  sat  buried  in  profound 
thought.  Whether  it  was  his  wish  to  be  left  alone  or 
not,  I  do  not  know,  but  before  the  closing  scene  was 
thrown  upon  the  ideal  screen  of  Captain  Harcourt, 
the  guests,  without  saying  farewell,  had  withdrawn,  one 
by  one,  from  the  room.  This  I  did  not  notice  until 
the  grey  clouds,  which  formed  in  advance  of  every 
picture,  had  swirled  through  the  room  and  were  gone. 
Then  I  observed  that  the  President  was  alone  with 
Captain  Harcourt  and  myself. 

As  the  veil  parted  for  the  last  time,  there  stood  out 
a  wonderful  picture,  shining  clear  in  a  soft,  bright 
light  of  an  early  October  day  in  Washington.  In  the 
center  of  the  scene  I  recognized  the  neighborhood  as 
the  Heights  to  the  northwest  of  Georgetown,  just  be- 
yond Rock  Creek  Park,  a  point  of  view  which  com- 
mands the  beautiful  Valley  of  the  Potomac,  from  the 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  245 

Three  Sisters,  at  the  north,  to  the  far-away  hills  of 
Maryland,  to  the  south.  The  Forum,  which  occupied 
the  highest  point,  was  a  great  circular  building,  built 
upon  the  lines  of  the  Coliseum  at  Rome.  It  had  the 
same  solid,  circling  stone  seats,  reaching  up  in  the  form 
of  easily  mounted gradins,  to  a  height  which  could  easily 
accommodate  one  hundred  thousand  people.  These 
seats  were  arranged  about  an  open  space,  which  was 
floored  in  marble,  and  covered  with  the  paraphernalia 
of  a  court.  I  only  looked  for  a  moment  at  the  in- 
terior. It  was  the  exterior  of  the  building  that  first 
interested  me.  To  the  right  and  left  of  this  circular 
arena  were  great  buildings,  in  architectural  keeping 
with  the  character  of  the  central  building.  They  were 
simple  and  massive,  abounding  in  stately  portal  arch- 
ways, and  flanked  by  terraces,  upon  which  stood 
beautiful  statues,  and  graceful  ornaments  in  iron,  set- 
ting off  the  brilliant  work  of  skilled  landscape  gar- 
deners. The  crest  upon  which  these  buildings  were 
placed  was  approached  by  a  broad,  stately  roadway, 
flanked  by  statues  and  public  buildings.  Up  this  road- 
way I  saw  coming  a  great  host  of  people.  At  their 
head  was  a  convoy  of  heralds,  dressed  in  robes  of 
dark  purple.  The  notes  of  the  march,  sounded  by 
them,  were  in  a  minor  key,  sorrowful  in  their  sweet- 
ness. There  was  no  form  to  the  moving  hosts  ;  there 
was  no  attempt  to  march  rank  by  rank ;  there  was  not 
a  carriage  visible  in  the  throng,  save  the  three  or  four 
which  followed  directly  after  the  heralds.  The  car- 
riages were  filled  with  grave  and  honest-looking  men, 
ten  in  number. 


246  A   MAN    AND   HIS   SOUL. 

The  President  spoke  :  "  Who  are  these  men  ?     What 
is  the  meaning  of  this  ceremony  ?  " 

There  was  an  accent  of  trouble  in  his  voice  as  he 
asked  these  questions.  He  seemed  to  have  a  premoni- 
tion that  the  scene  related  to  him  personally.  The 
answer  was  :  "  Those  men  compose  the  Court  of 
Honor  ;  they  are  now  on  the  way  to  the  Forum  to 
conduct  a  great  and  important  trial." 
"  The  trial  of  an  official  ?  " 
"Yes,  the  trial  of  an  official." 

"  He  must  be  high  in  station  to  call  forth  such  a 
concourse  of  people  ?  " 

"  Yes,  he  is  the  highest  of  all.  He  is  the  President 
of  the  United  States." 

"  But  you  are  portraying  an  ideal  condition.  How 
could  charges  be  made  against  an  ideal  person  ?  " 

"  On  this  earth  the  absolute  ideal  is  never  reached. 
I  can  only  show  you  approximately  ideal  conditions, 
but  the  picture,  which  I  show  you  here,  is  not  even 
an  attempt  to  present  wholly  ideal  conditions.  I  wish 
to  show  you,  representing  the  school  of  politics  at  the 
present  time,  on  trial  before  a  Court  of  Honor,  the 
ideal  tribunal  for  the  presentation  of  public  grievances 
against  the  chief  magistrate." 

The  President  was  startled.  He  said  :  "  Will  it  be 
really  I  who  will  be  on  trial  there  ?  " 

"  Yes,  in  so  far  as  the  art  of  the  ideal  world  can 
reach,  you  will  be  represented  there.  Do  you  fear 
such  a  trial  ?  " 

The  President  made  no  answer.  He  studied,  curi- 
ously, the  moving  hosts,  which  now  began  to  approach 


A    MAX    AND    HIS    SOUL.  247 

the  portals  of  the  Forum.  Suddenly,  he  said  :  "  Why- 
are  the  people  so  sorrowful  and  melancholy  ?  Why  do 
the  heralds  play  such  lugubrious  music  ?  " 

"  The  people  are  sad,  because  they  feel  that  it  is  a 
grievous  thing  when  the  chief  of  any  nation  apparently 
fails  in  his  duty,  and  that  what  reflects  upon  him  in- 
directly reflects  upon  all.  If  you  can  come  forth  from 
that  Court  of  Honor  spotless,  and  free  from  all  charges, 
you  will  witness,  in  that  picture,  such  a  scene  of  joy, 
and  hear  such  melodies  of  gaiety,  as  will  charm  your 
soul.  But,  if  the  verdict  is  against  you,  the  gloom  will 
only  deepen,  and  the  ideal  nation  will  not  be  able  to 
hold  up  its  head  again  until  the  condemned  President 
has  placed  his  resignation  in  the  hands  of  the  Court  of 
Honor,  and  has  gone  forth,  as  a  private  citizen,  to  seek, 
through  the  loving  performance  of  some  humbler  duty, 
forgiveness  for  his  past  acts." 

The  scene  now  changed  to  the  interior  of  the  Forum. 
The  picture  became  so  real  that  we  entered  into  actual 
participation  in  its  incidents.  The  President  was  no 
longer  in  the  White  House.  He  was  seated  in  one  of 
the  waiting  rooms,  on  the  same  floor  with  the  circular 
space  devoted  to  the  officials  of  the  court,  at  the  foot 
of  the  gradins.  Captain  Harcourt  and  I  occupied  a 
seat  in  the  front  ranks  of  the  lower  tier,  where  we 
could  watch  every  movement  of  the  actors  in  this 
magnificent  scene.  I  know  of  no  more  splendid,  mov- 
ing sight  than  a  great  gathering  of  refined,  intelligent 
and  handsomely  dressed  people.  Upon  the  tier  which 
rose  above  round  about  us,  there  was  a  succession  of 
handsome  faces,  athletic  and  gracefully  formed  figures, 


248  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

clothed  in  soft  and  artistic  colors,  which,  in  the  robes 
of  the  ladies,  flashed  into  hues  of  intense  brilliancy, 
while,  with  the  men,  the  key  of  the  colors,  as  now,  ran 
to  more  sombre  tones.  The  Forum,  like  the  Coliseum, 
was  open  at  the  top  ;  a  great  crimson  awning,  caught 
at  the  center  upon  an  arch  of  steel,  and  sustained  by 
lines  of  steel,  radiating  like  the  spokes  of  a  wheel  from 
the  center,  protected  the  assembly  from  the  concen- 
trated light  of  the  mid-day  sun.  The  awning  whipped 
and  snapped,  moving  like  a  brilliant  sea  of  color,  flash- 
ing its  warmth  below  upon  the  white  robes  and  the  rich 
colors  of  the  many-hued  garments  of  this  ideal 
populace. 

My  attention,  which  followed  in  lazy  delight,  for  a 
moment,  the  picture  of  this  great  audience,  now  sud- 
denly turned  to  the  arena.  The  heralds  entered  first 
and  sounded  their  bugles,  three  notes  only;  then  came 
in  the  various  dignitaries  of  the  court,  clad  in  white 
silk  robes  and  black  skull  caps.  Then  came  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Court  of  Honor,  in  black  silk  robes  and  red 
skull  caps. 

These  gentlemen  took  their  seats,  the  audience  rising 
as  they  entered.  The  fluttering  of  the  robes,  the  up- 
rising and  down-sitting  of  the  audience  made  a  most 
impressive  reception  to  the  entrance  of  the  judges. 

A  moment  later,  the  bugles  again  sounded,  and 
played  a  formal,  ceremonious  march.  The  audience 
now  rose  again,  and  in  the  midst  of  a  profound  silence, 
which  followed  the  end  of  the  heralds'  notes,  there 
entered  the  President  of  the  United  States.  It  was 
the  President,  as  I  had  seen  him  at  the  White  House. 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  249 

There  he  had  learned  a  certain  dignity  and  stoicism, 
which  now  stood  him  well  as  he  faced  this  court.  He 
entered  with  proud  dignity,  walked  easily  to  the  great 
chair  placed  at  his  disposal  at  a  table  on  the  right,  and 
then  appeared  to  be  absorbed  in  a  paper  which  was 
handed  to  him,  and  which,  I  soon  learned,  contained 
the  charges  to  be  made  against  him.  On  the  opposite 
side  of  the  table  there  were  seats  placed  for  the 
Cabinet  advisers,  who  came  in  directly  after  him. 
They  appeared  to  be  ill  at  ease  and  unhappy,  and 
caught  eagerly  at  the  copy  of  the  charges,  which  was 
handed  to  each  of  them  by  pages,  who  flew  about  the 
Court,  bringing  in  documents  and  books,  and  attend- 
ing to  the  wants  of  the  grave  officials  who  were 
charged  with  the  prosecution  and  the  defense  before 
this  High  Court. 

The  President  of  the  court  now  rose  and  directed 
one  of  the  heralds  to  read  the  charges.  The  acoustic 
properties  of  this  Forum  were  arranged  with  such  skill- 
ful art  that  the  lowest  note  of  the  herald's  voice  was 
heard  by  the  the  most  distantly  placed  in  the  audience. 
These  charges,  which  I  noted  at  the  time,  were  brief. 
As  the  herald  read  them,  they  were  as  follows : 

Charge  1 .  Neglect  of  t lie  public  zuelfare. 

SPECIFICATION  i.  That  he,  the  President,  has  never 
submitted  to  Congress  a  single  measure  in  the  interest 
of  the  public,  and  that  he  has  been  governed  in  all  his 
suggestions  by  personal  and  partisan  influences. 

SPECIFICATION  2.   That  he,  the  President,  has  taken 


250  A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL. 

to  himself  the  appointment  of  all  the  federal  officials  in 
the  United  States,  for  the  purpose  of  advancing  his 
own  selfish  ends ;  and  that,  under  a  pretense  of  guard- 
ing the  public  welfare,  he  has  left  himself  no  leisure 
for  consideration  of  public  questions. 

Specification  3.  That  he,  the  President,  has  so  cul- 
tivated his  vanity,  through  personal  contemplation  of 
his  own  merits,  that  he  has  grown  to  think  that  he  is, 
himself,  the  law,  constitution  and  the  country  com- 
bined, and  that  any  advice,  or  suggestion,  from  any 
human  being,  relating  to  his  personal  conduct,  is  an 
insult  and  a  reflection  upon  his  rights. 

SPECIFICATION  4.  That  he,  the  President  of  the 
United  States,  has  forgotten  that  he  has  been  called 
upon  to  fulfil  a  trust  extended  to  him  by  the  people, 
and  that  he  has  come  to  regard  the  office  as  one  per- 
sonal to  himself,  and  that  the  powers  given  to  that 
office  are  to  be  used  only  for  the  advancement  of  his 
own  personal  ambitions. 

SPECIFICATION  5.  That  he,  the  President,  has  per- 
mitted his  friends  to  so  surround' him  with  adulation 
and  gross  flattery,  that  he  has,  thereby,  closed  to  his 
intelligence  all  the  channels  through  which  intelligence 
and  truth  might  be  able  to  reach  him. 

SPECIFICATION  6.  That  he,  the  President  of  the 
United  States,  has  built  up,  in  his  own  mind,  an  image 
of  himself,  which  he  has  labeled  "  a  man  of  destiny," 
and  which  he  worships  as  his  only  God. 

The  President's  face  was  a  very  curious  study  during 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  25  I 

the  reading  of  these  charges.  He  turned  and  glared  at 
Captain  Harcourt,  then  came  back  to  himself,  and  I  saw 
him  furtively  pinching  the  interior  of  his  palm,  as  if 
to  assure  himself  whether  this  was  a  dream  or  a  reality. 
But,  as  he  was  thus  engaged,  the  note  of  the  heralds  again 
rang  out,  and  then  a  sonorous  voice  sounded  :  "  Who 
appears  to  accuse  this  man  ?  "  There  now  appeared, 
in  the  arena,  representatives  of  all  classes,  and  I  ob- 
served that  the  humblest  came  first.  In  the  front 
rank  there  stood  a  workman,  hollow-eyed  and  hungry. 
He  was  the  first  to  speak.  He  said  :  "  I  accuse  this 
man.  When  he  came  into  office  the  country  was  rich 
and  prosperous.  The  laws  for  the  protection  of  the 
humblest  were  wise  and  well  administered.  I  had 
plenty  of  work,  and  my  family  was  well  and  clothed. 
Since  he  has  come  into  office  all  this  has  been  changed. 
His  personal,  selfish  and  mad  ambition  has  upset  the 
comfort  and  peace  of  the  country.  He,  blinded  by  his 
position,  deaf  to  everything  but  the  flattery  of  syco- 
phants, ignores  the  cries  of  the  starving,  and  talks  of 
the  object  lesson  which  he  is  giving  to  the  country." 
The  cruel  picture  of  the  man's  sufferings,  described  in 
pathetic  phrases  and  emphatic  gestures,  were  most 
carefully  noted  down  by  the  scribes  of  this  court ;  for, 
it  must  be  remembered,  in  this  ideal  court,  the  highest 
could  be  accused  by  the  humblest,  and  that  no  man 
could  be  so  high  and  proudly  placed  that  he  could  not 
be  summoned  to  the  defense  of  charges  made  by  the 
poorest  and  the  weakest. 

After  the  workmen,  came  the  representatives  of  the 
trade    and    industries  that   had   been   crushed   by  the 


252  A   MAN   AND    HIS   SOUL. 

selfish,  partisan  folly  of  a  President,  who  had  sought 
to  build  up  and  please  one  section  of  the  country,  and 
to  ignore  a  great  commercial  life  and  movement  of  the 
nation,  whose  destinies  he  had  held  in  his  hands  at 
such  a  critical  period. 

It  was  painful  to  watch  this  accumulation  of  eloquent 
denunciation,  ranging  from  the  workmen  to  the  great 
capitalists,  who  had,  in  this  court,  rights  placing  them 
on  an  equality  with  the  poor. 

The  President  of  the  United  States  was  not  over- 
come by  these  charges.  In  fact,  no  one  had  ever 
questioned  his  courage.  The  longer  the  accusations, 
the  more  energetic  and  resentful  became  his  attitude. 
In  this  court,  the  accused  spoke  last.  During  the  day, 
the  specifications  were  sustained  by  eloquent  argu- 
ment, and  by  the  hearing  of  witnesses,  according  to 
the  usual  forms  of  law.  The  line  of  argument  for  the 
prosecution  related  to  the  general  charge  of  neglect  of 
the  public  welfare. 

There  was  a  great  interest  when  the  President  rose 
to  reply.  Several  of  his  Cabinet  officers  desired  to 
speak  in  his  defense,  but  he  forbade  them  with  a 
contemptuous  glance.  He  said :  "  This  is  my  case. 
These  charges  are  made  against  me,  and  I  alone  will 
answer  them."  The  President  now  adroitly  shifted 
the  whole  ground  by  saying  :  "  It's  not  very  clear  yet, 
to  my  mind,  how  I  came  to  be  before  this  court  at  all. 
This  court,  as  I  understand  it,  is  an  ideal  one,  and  rep- 
resents an  age  to  which  I  do  not  belong.  I  submit, 
in  the  first  place,  that  it  is  not  fair  or  just  that  an  un- 
ldeal   person,  surrounded  by  conditions  anything  but 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  253 

ideal,  should  be  tried  before  such  a  court.  If  I  have 
not  always  followed  the  highest  line  of  conduct  in  my 
office,  it  is  because  I  have  found  myself  alone.  A  man 
is,  at  best,  limited  in  his  capacity  and  ability  to  do ; 
and  in  the  political  world,  in  which  I  have  moved,  and 
where  I  have  built  my  fortunes,  I  do  not  know  of  a 
single  influence  which  is  high  or  lofty.  The  influences 
in  the  political  world  are  selfish.  The  leaders  of  both 
parties  seek  only  their  personal  ends.  Let  me  reach 
to  the  right  or  the  left  for  support,  and  I  cannot  find 
it  unless  I  am  ready  to  sacrifice  my  personal  inclina- 
tions, and  to  offer  bribes,  in  the  shape  of  place  and 
power.  I  take  the  world  as  I  found  it.  I  have  sought 
to  do  the  best  that  I  could  within  the  lines  that  sur- 
rounded me,  and  I  have  never,  for  a  moment,  sup- 
posed that  my  line  of  action  approached  the  semblance 
of  the  ideal." 

The  speech  of  the  President  continued  for  nearly  an 
hour.  It  was  bitter,  caustic  in  its  denunciation  of  men 
and  things,  and  a  cruel,  running  criticism  upon  the  in- 
justice of  trying  an  unideal  character  in  a  court  con- 
trolled by  ideal  conditions.  So  adroit  and  so  forcefully 
did  he  present  this  view,  that,  at  the  close  of  his  talk, 
the  Court  of  Honor  rose  and  submitted  a  judgment 
that,  in  all  essential  points,  the  charges  had  been  sus- 
tained, but  that  the  main  line  of  the  defense  submitted 
by  the  President  was  one  that  could  not  be  ignored. 
He  had  lived  up  to  the  conditions  which  had  surrounded 
him  at  the  time  of  his  being  brought  to  trial.  If  he 
had  been  a  stronger  man,  he  might  have  surmounted 
them.     More  than  this — he  was  ignorant.     His  eyes 


254  A   MAN  AND   HIS   SOUL. 

were  closed  to  the  advantages  of  unselfishness,  and, 
while  technically  guilty,  equity  demanded  that  he 
should  be  acquitted. 

This  judgment  was  repeated  again  and  again,  with 
pauses  for  voices  of  disapproval  from  those  present ; 
but  not  a  single  "  No  "  was  heard,  and  the  thundering 
"  Aye  !  "  that  came  with  the  affirmation  had  in  it  a  note 
of  pity  for  the  blind,  uncivilized  man  who  had  main- 
tained himself  so  gallantly  before  this  bar  of  high 
civilization. 

The  scene  suddenly  disappeared,  and  I  now  saw  the 
President  seated  again  in  his  chair  in  the  library  at  the 
White  House.  It  was  four  o'clock  in  the  morning. 
There  was  a  satirical  look  on  his  face,  as  he  turned  to 
Captain  Harcourt.  He  said  :  "  Say,  you  are  not  such 
a  bad  fellow,  and  you  understand  your  business  very 
well.  I  don't  exactly  see  how  you  produce  all  these 
things.  I  suppose  if  I  did  I  would  not  care.  I  con- 
sider your  system  highly  impracticable,  although  amus- 
ing as  a  spectacular  performance.  You  may  change 
the  world  over,  by  a  systematic  presentation  of  ideal 
possibilities  ;  but  I  fancy  that  many,  many  centuries  will 
pass  before  the  first  shadow  of  your  ideal  pictures  will 
take  upon  themselves  the  form  of  a  reality.  However, 
you  have  ability,  and,  as  you  have  friends,  if  you  get 
the  proper  endorsements,  I  will  see  that  you  have  any 
good  appointment — almost  any  you  would  like  in  the 
foreign  service.  I  would  not  have  you  think  that  I  am 
inappreciative  of  the  influence  you  possess,  or  unmind- 
ful of  the  influence  of  your  friends." 

"  I  am  very  much  obliged  to  you,"  said  Captain  Har- 


A   MAN   AND   HIS   SOUL.  255 

court,  "  for  your  kind  thoughtfulness  ;  but  what  you 
propose  I  could  not  accept."  With  this  he  bowed,  and 
we  walked  out  of  the  White  House,  crossing  Lafayette 
Park  in  the  early  grey  of  the  morning.  Two  hours 
later  he  left  Washington.  I  was  to  follow  him,  after  I 
had  prepared  the  record  of  the  first  work  of  his  society 
in  Washington.  This  chapter  concludes  my  report.  To- 
morrow I  shall  set  off  for  the  Island  of  Nolos,  to  look 
farther  into  the  theories  of  Captain  Harcourt  and 
Doctor  Longman. 


[the  end.] 


WHITE     CROSS     LITERATURE 


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